Long Live
by ravenclawslibrary
Summary: A series of one shots following Klaus and Caroline through their respective eternities. Because forever is an awfully long time.
1. Shadows

**Title**: Long Live

**Disclaimer**: Anything TVD or TO related belongs to the CW

_**A/N: So this is basically going to be a compilation of any and every oneshot I've ever thought up regarding Klaus and Caroline after both TVD and TO ends. They're endgame, and even if we don't get them in canon, we all know that 100 years down the road they're going to be living out their happily ever after. So here are some ways I'd like to see that happen.** _

* * *

_When the days are cold, and the cards all fold, and the saints we see are all made of gold._

_When your dreams all fail, and the ones we hail are the worst of all, and the blood's run stale._

* * *

The first time she noticed her silent shadow, it had been at a concert in California. The desert had been packed with young people of all shapes and sizes, and the crowd had stretched on for what seemed like miles. The eclectic group of party goers were decked out in neon, beads, and flower wreaths, each body running right into the next. It all mixed together in a haze of alcohol, smoke, and bare skin.

It should have made it impossible to spot anyone, let alone track them, but somehow Caroline felt that tingling sensation that made her blood pump faster and her skin start to crawl. The feeling of being watched.

She ran through the catalog of people she'd wronged in the past ten years since becoming a vampire, her mind immediately put on the defensive. She came up empty though, thinking of no one angry or hurt enough to track her all the way out here. Caroline had made it a point to avoid making enemies at her young age. Vendettas and schemes were the pastimes of older vampires, not newbies like her.

Next came the list of people who might be scoping her out for friendlier reasons. This list was also unhelpful. Damon and Elena were living their happily ever after in Rio. Stefan was on some journey of self-discovery with Tyler of all people. They were in East Asia last time she'd checked. Matt and Bonnie had each settled down in Virginia, happy to build families and make babies in peace.

The Mystic Falls crew was officially off her radar.

Romantically, there had been a few memorable one night stands over the years for Caroline, but no one serious enough to be looking her up now.

That left her with one final and slightly terrifying option: A complete stranger was stalking her through a very packed and drugged up crowd for unknown reasons. Yeah, this never ended well for the pretty blondes in the movies.

Then again, the those blondes didn't have fangs and an appetite for blood so…

Pulling on her big girl panties, Caroline danced herself over to the nearest stage, slipping behind one of the fenced off areas with a bit of compulsion to help her along. If this confrontation was going to happen, it needed to be in a closed, private area where there was no chance of someone snapping a quick shot of her vamping out on an unsuspecting stranger.

Her stalker took the bait, and Caroline pounced on him the second he turned the corner, hand around his neck and fangs bared. He hissed right back at her, throwing her off him and pinning her to the ground.

Well then, her shadow was a vampire. An old one if his strength was any indication.

That was new.

He seemed to pull himself together quickly, letting her go the moment he realized he was hurting her. He offered his hand to help her up off the sand, but she ignored it, righting herself and shaking the dust out of her hair.

"Who the hell are you?" She fumed.

"I'm no one, I shouldn't even be back here." He answered in a vaguely Irish drawl, turning his back to walk away.

She flashed in front of him, blocking his path but keeping her hands to herself. She was not in the mood to end up with her ass in the dirt again.

"Nice try." She mocked him, "You were following me. Why?"

He tried to dart around her, but she managed to keep him in place. His frustrated expression was nearly comical, but it disappeared quickly when his phone rang. Then it became a mix of nervousness and terror. It seemed like whoever was on the other end of the line was not someone he wanted to talk to.

The vampire reached into his back pocket, and Caroline took her chance. A lightning fast twist and _snap! _one broken neck if you please. He slumped to the ground, limbs awry but his phone in hand.

It continued to ring, so she snatched it up, peering down at the screen.

_'Klaus calling...'_ glowed back up at her.

Caroline nearly screamed she was so angry. After ten years of nothing, he decided to send some idiot to follow her around like a lost puppy in hopes of what? Keeping tabs on her? Giving her a message?

She vindictively crushed the phone under her heel before dragging the vampire's body toward the nearest cluster of speakers. She could only hope no one found him before he woke up or he'd have some serious explaining to do when he came to in the morgue.

If she hadn't taken one last look at the guy before rolling him over, she would have been Scot free. Annoyed, but no worse for the wear.

Unfortunately the light caught him just the wrong way, revealing a tattoo down his neck. That was when she suddenly realized that this guy wasn't a total stranger. She'd seen him last year in Hawaii when she'd been soaking up sun rays on the beaches of Honolulu. She'd suspected he looked familiar but hadn't been able to place him. Now the dots were coming together. She'd recognized him back then from that hellish ten hour plane ride she'd been on from Australia.

Three years ago.

_Son of a bitch._

How long had Klaus had this guy tailing her? Three years? Four? She didn't even want to think about the possibility that he'd been her silent shadow for the past ten years without her knowing. That would just be too creepy.

With the phone crushed though, she had no way of calling the hybrid bastard to give him a good verbal bitch slapping. She'd have to settle for getting the hell out of here and leaving this guy in the dust.

The band's final set wasn't even through by the time she was tearing back to Los Angeles in a stolen car. LAX seemed like a great place to get lost.

* * *

Caroline didn't catch sight of another tail until four years later.

She wasn't sure if Klaus was giving her space to lull her into a false sense of security, or if she was just too blind to spot it before, but there she was.

The posh winery in the south of France was a Mecca for older couples looking to get away, which is probably why her new shadow stuck out like a sore thumb.

Some skinny college girl, totally ordinary and wrapped up in the book she was toting around. An adorable, plucky brunette that would look to anyone else like she was just enjoying a semester abroad.

But Caroline was getting better at spotting the differences between human and vampire.

Vampires moved too confidently. Like the world was at their feet. They brushed past the humans with all the air of a lion stalking prey. Silent and calculating, waiting for the perfect moment to rip into flesh. So while this girl tried to give off the air of the dorky tourist, it didn't stop her from looking at the servers like she wanted to spill their jugulars out into her next glass of Pinot.

The girl's eyes flickered up to Caroline, checking to make sure she was still in the same spot apparently, and that was all the evidence Caroline needed.

It occurred to her that she could walk right over to the woman and politely ask for her phone so she could speak to Klaus. She tossed the idea out almost immediately. This needed a firm hand. Making her way to the bathrooms, Caroline pulled out the thermos of B positive that she kept on her at all times. The key to being a good little vampire was staying hydrated, Caroline had figured out. So the emergency thermos traveled with her everywhere.

She made quick work of pouring the bloody contents out all over the bathroom tile, and then waited by the door. Here's hoping her new travel buddy was as hungry as she looked.

It was less than a minute before the other vampire came tearing in, searching out the smell of two pints of fresh blood.

Just like the last time, her stalker's neck was quickly snapped, and the body dragged into a stall. Caroline made quick work of cleaning the spilled blood, collecting a bit extra for a very special, hybrid-sized message.

She strolled through the winery and right out of France that very afternoon.

The French police would later report the strange case of a crime scene's missing body from the murder that occurred at _Le Minervois_ vineyard. The only clues in the case were the words written in blood on the girl's white shirt.

_Bite me._

* * *

The final time Caroline felt the familiar tingle at the base of her neck, it was ten times more powerful.

It hadn't even been a year since the winery incident and he was back at it.

Whoever was watching her now had practically hung a Do Not Disturb sign around them from the deadly aura that seemed to lurk in every corner. Even if she couldn't see them, the last thing she wanted was to pick a fight with this new watchdog, she was sure of that. The pounding dance music and the flashing lights should have made it easy to elude whatever new henchman Klaus had sent after her, but this one was proving hard to shake.

Her new shadow had trailed her through three nightclubs and eight jam-packed blocks of Shanghai already.

At the fourth club, she finally caught a glimpse of exactly whom she was dealing with. A frustrated groan escaped her when she spotted a flash of blue eyes and dimples through the throng of dancing bodies.

Klaus.

Apparently he'd decided to come to her himself this time.

Good. She needed an opportunity slap him right in his stupid face for minion stalking her anyway. She sauntered up to the table he was occupying, making sure that every _clomp_ of her high heels conveyed just how pissed off she was. Three years as cheer captain had taught her how to walk with murder in her eyes.

"Good evening." He smiled up at her, arms stretching out to cover the leather seating of his booth.

Caroline just narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. The picture of righteous anger.

"Join me for a drink?" He asked. A colorful martini glass was pushed towards her and she recognized the cocktail she'd been imbibing all night. _Stalker._

She grabbed the glass, knocking back the whole thing in two big glugs.

"That was great, let's do it again in another fifteen years." She said wiping an escaped drop from her lip and slamming the glass back down.

She moved to saunter off, but his amused laugh pulled her back. He was looking at her, the girl who had so spitefully rejected him time and again, like she was the most adorable thing on the planet.

How dare he.

"I do wish you'd sit down for a proper drink." He said, swirling what she'd assumed to be red wine around his glass. Now she had the distinct impression it was anything but alcohol. "I'm in strangely low spirits tonight, and you're familiar with what tends to happen when I'm feeling glum."

His eyes scanned the bar, and she could see him hunting for a victim. She knew exactly what happened when he was _in a mood_. People tended to lose their jugulars.

"I'd hate for someone to get hurt." He added on, smirk in place.

With very deep frown, she slid into the booth, careful to keep at least two seats of distance between them.

"It's just like old times," Caroline grumbled, "You manipulating me into spending time with you, me needing booze to deal with your presence."

"Well there would be no manipulation necessary if you'd stop snapping my friends necks."

There it was. He'd actually admitted that he had people following her.

"Your _friends_ were following me across the continents. You do realize how creepy you are right?"

Klaus chuckled softly. "Is it so awful that I want to make sure you're looked after on you worldly travels?"

"I can look after myself."

"Clearly. You left Brigitte in a bit of a legal bind back in France, you know. You'll have to tell me how you managed to outwit a vampire four centuries older than you someday."

He actually managed to sound impressed that she'd left his minion to wake up in the middle of her own crime scene. Figures.

She didn't answer, instead opting to keep them in uncomfortable silence.

He signaled the waiter for another drink, and before she could refuse a second martini was set down in front of her. She barely sipped at this one, though. She was already three sheets to the wind before he showed up, and dealing with Klaus while drunk didn't seem like the best option for her.

"So," Klaus broke their silence, "Tell me about your travels. I always knew you'd see the world someday, but your destinations were something of a surprise to me."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "I'll pass on the recap."

He looked genuinely disappointed.

"I was rather hoping to hear your impressions of all the places you'd been. I've only ever heard the second hand accounts of your travels."

"The fact that you can so casually talk about having me stalked, speaks volumes about how twisted you really are."

A devilish grin broke out on his face. "Would you have me any other way?"

And that was the kicker. She really wouldn't. No matter how pissed off she was, this back and forth between them was strangely comforting. In a world full of strange people and places, this right here with him was gloriously familiar. A breath of fresh air really. She loved seeing the world, she truly did, but the small town girl in her would always miss her home.

And right now, Klaus' unapologetic irritation was a warm reminder of life in Mystic Falls.

Maybe that's why she found herself settling into the booth and caving in to his questions. She gave him all of her stories. She told him about her journey across the states, taking in the clubs of New York and the mountains of Colorado. She raved about the food in Texas and the music in Tennessee. She told him how she'd stood over the Grand Canyon for hours, just soaking it all in. Europe was the obvious choice after seeing so much of her home country, so predictably she had hopped on a plane to the outback of Australia. There was something in her that craved the wild and the wilderness, so she decided to stay, happily exploring the land of hot weather and hotter accents.

Europe came eventually, and she toured the oldest and most beautiful cities in the world. The culture and pretentiousness had eventually bored her though, so she'd headed East, desperate for the kind of reckless excitement that only Asia could offer.

What she didn't tell him was that the Northern Lights had made her feel terribly small. Or that the wind off the Mediterranean had chilled her to the bone. She didn't tell him that the spices in the Hong Kong air hadn't teased her senses like they were supposed to, or the heat of the California sun had been too jarring to stand. She would never admit that she had learned one sad truth on her travels.

The world was a lonely place.

She didn't feel lonely now though, tucked into a booth with the one man she swore she'd never speak to again, passing away the hours like they were old friends. It was that thought which made her realize it _had_ been hours. Hours on hours. Midnight had come and gone, drinks had been poured and devoured, but here they sat, the music still pulsing and the night raging on.

"I envy you your adventures, Caroline." Klaus admitted, his breath gusting out over her shoulder.

When had they gotten so close? Hadn't there been plenty of space between them just a few minutes ago? Now her legs were crossed towards him and their hips brushed under the table if one of them leaned in just right.

"You envy _me_?" Caroline laughed. "Can I get that in writing somewhere?"

"I'm serious." Klaus chuckled. "To see it all for the first time, it's a journey I wish I could live again. The beauty of it all is still so young and new for you. Untouched and exciting."

The slightest brush of fingers against her thigh accompanied his words. Later she'd blame it on the countless number of martinis, but that touch electrified every nerve in her body. A heat that hadn't been there before ignited between them in this one moment.

Caroline did her best to ignore it. "It's been an eye-opening experience, that's for sure. You were right when you said I should see it all."

"Now I want _that _in writing. Caroline Forbes admits that I was right." A lazy grin split across his lips and she couldn't help but return it. "Though if I recall correctly, and I always do, I offered to take you with me. Not to be left in the cold as you went to see it all on your own."

That reminder puts her on edge.

'_There's a whole world out there waiting for you.'_

'_All I can think about is how much I want to show it to you. Maybe one day you'll let me.'_

His hand was still skating back and forth across the top of her thigh, dancing dangerously close to the hem of her dress. Lord help her, but it had been so long since she'd enjoyed the simple touch of a man. So she let him touch.

"Well, maybe I wasn't ready for a travel companion." She said, no longer joking with him.

"And now?" He questioned. "Are you ready for a companion after all these years on your own?"

His hand traveled just a few inches higher, going back and forth over the line of fabric that separated a flirtatious touch from one of intention. She couldn't help but clench her legs together at the sensation. He was too close and she was too hot, and the whole night seemed to be heading towards the train wreck that was Klaus Mikaelson.

It could have been the vodka or just the feel of his skin on hers that was making her dizzy, but she slid her legs apart just the smallest bit to allow that touch. His eyes fluttered for a moment, and he took a deep breath, no doubt able to smell the arousal that was coming off of her in waves.

His other hand curled in her hair, and she tilted her head back embracing his fingers tangling in her curls.

He took her unspoken surrender as an invitation to lean forward and skim his lips across her neck, and the fire spread to every inch of skin he touched. Then it spread further down.

A soft nip on the slope where he shoulder met her neck pulled a gasp from her lips. Her hand fisted in the material of his shirt, and she honestly wasn't sure whether she was about to urge him on or push him away. Klaus decided for her by slipping the hand that had been toying with her dress right under it to press against her hot core. She raised her hips to meet him, pulling him closer by the shirt she had clenched in her halfway lucid part of Caroline took a minute to realize that they were in the middle of a packed nightclub, surrounded by people and probably a camera or two. But the sinful side of her reasoned that no one could see what was going on under the table. That Klaus could get her off right here in this booth with no one the wiser.

It didn't stop her from sparing a nervous glance around to see if they had in fact drawn any attention.

Klaus could not have timed the next suck on her neck better, or the soft pressure he placed against her clit. She moaned, breathless, fruitlessly trying to search the crowd for scandalized faces. He pulled away, noticing her split attention, and smirked a very contented smirk.

"Would you like me to stop, Caroline?" He asked innocently, but with a deft flick of his fingers he was under the lace of her panties and running a finger through he drenched folds.

Her mouth fell open, and she pressed her face against his neck, hiding her very obvious ecstasy from the other club goers.

"Or does the thought of letting me touch you out here in the open excite you?" Every word dripped perfectly off his lips, his mouth brushing against the shell of her ear.

She could only pant heavily as his slick fingers sought out the small bundle of nerves above her entrance again, circling it slowly.

"Does the possibility that one of these people could look over at any moment," He exerted the smallest bit of pressure, building a rhythm now, "That one of them could spot my hand working under your skirt," She whimpered slightly, and her hips started to slowly rock, "Does it only make you more eager? Make you want it more?"

His voice in her ear and his hand between her thighs was doing such wonderful things to her. He was trying to build her up slowly but it was all starting to snowball in a haze of pleasure.

And all too suddenly, it stopped. He pulled his hand just an inch away, depriving her of the euphoric sensation she was becoming addicted to.

She made a small sound of protest, trying to lift her hips into his touch again.

"So what will it be, Caroline?" He nudged her face out from the shoulder that she'd buried it in. "Shall I stop?"

She stared into his eyes for a long moment and then watched them sweep down to search her face. She was probably the picture of ravished pleasure, his hand still in her tousled hair and her body reeking of sex. Whatever he saw made his eyes darken, so she was fairly certain she still wore the profoundly turned on expression she'd been sporting since he'd first put his hands on her.

"Caroline." He whispered, and she could barely hear him over the pounding music. He was close to breaking though, that much was obvious.

"Please," She sighed, "Just touch me."

He was back on her in full force, lips on her neck, hand tugging at her curls and fingers pressed closely against her opening. He didn't wait another moment, pushing one finger inside her, muffling her pleasured moan with one of his own.

She was teetering on the edge already, barely keeping herself from bucking against his hand. That kind of reckless abandon would surely draw a few eyes. When he drew back and sunk a second finger in up to the knuckle, she bit out a soft curse, her free hand tearing into the leather next to her. Klaus groaned as her walls started to flutter around his fingers. She was so goddamn close, she just needed more.

The hybrid was happy to oblige and pressed the heel of his palm against her, rubbing against her with every thrust of his fingers.

She had to hold in a scream at the extra stimulation. She was seconds from release. Klaus' heavy breathing her ear, coupled with his soft words of encouragement, was tearing her apart. She wanted him inside her, his hands, his body, his breath, every part of him. Not even sparing a moment to fight her natural instincts, Caroline let her fangs slide down and sunk them quickly into his bared neck.

"Fuck, Caroline." He bit out, his hand picking up speed.

The taste of blood filling her mouth was nearly as amazing as the rapture she felt as he pushed a third finger into her.

She keened through the feeding, her legs clenching tight around his hand as the waves of pleasure finally crested over her. She rode them out over and over, until his hand stilled inside her, waiting for the pulsing and shaking and clenching to stop.

She removed her fangs, letting the darkness seep back out of her eyes, returning them to their normal baby blue. When she leaned back from him, he still wore that intense expression, brow creased and jaw locked. He lifted that hand that had previously been giving her so much pleasure, and swiped it across her bottom lip, gathering the blood she'd missed on his thumb.

She grabbed his wrist and slipped that thumb into her mouth, sucking off the unique taste of herself mixed with his blood. He swallowed hard, every muscle in his body tense and waiting to pounce.

He held himself back though, he always would. This dance of theirs had one major rule: she was in charge.

Caroline considered leaving him then. Just scooting out of the booth and walking off into the night. He wouldn't follow. Not after that. She could sail off into the sunset, pretending to still be a good little girl.

But who the hell was going to judge her if she didn't?

None of her friends were here to condemn her or shun her for this choice. And the wonderful thing about being a vampire anyway was that time really did heal all wounds. A couple of decades meant fights were forgotten and enemies were allies.

So Caroline let her hand drift from his wrist to the necklaces he still wore draped around him. She fingered the longest one, pulling him slightly towards her with it.

"Take me home, Klaus."

* * *

She was up well after the sun peeked through the white gauzy curtains. Wherever Klaus was staying, it was the nicest hotel she'd visited in years, and that was saying something. It figured that he would be able to find the hidden gems in a city that was chalk full of generic tourist traps.

The hope that he was at least half as worn out as her was the only thing that gave her the confidence to ease out of bed.

Caroline tiptoed around the room, collecting her dress and heals, then slipping into them for her walk of shame across town. Through all of her shuffling, Klaus remained lying facedown on his stomach, snoring into his pillow. Small favors. A quick check in the mirror ensured that there were no lingering bite marks or blood staining her skin, so she wouldn't draw too much unnecessary attention.

The door clicked shut behind her after one last glance towards the sleeping hybrid.

So maybe she wasn't ready for a companion just yet? But Caroline knew the next time she ran into her shadow, she wouldn't be the one to run.

* * *

_Your eyes, they shine so bright, I wanna save that light_,

_ I can't escape this now, unless you show me how_.

* * *

**_Leave a review if you please!_**


	2. Promise

**Title**: Promise

**Disclaimer**: Anything TO or TVD related belongs to the CW

_**A/N: Basically, Caroline is a hardcore Kalijah shipper. She will go the distance for her ship! Find me on tumblr as ravenclawslibrary and shoot me a prompt for this series. I love to hear your Klaroline endgame theories!**_

* * *

_I never knew how much you'd want to live again with innocence,_  
_Like the good old days, our glory years when you still were here_

* * *

"I'm just not really in the mood for Spain, you know? Maybe in a few weeks?"

Klaus tried not to be suspicious, he really did. But you just can't fight your nature.

Not once in the past eighty years had Caroline _not been in the mood for Spain_. Barcelona was her playground, Madrid was her classroom, the beaches of the Mediterranean were her escape. Each and every time he planned a trip to Europe, Caroline demanded they stop through Spain first. They usually ended up staying a week or two after that, and it got to the point where Klaus had to purchase several homes in the country just so they would have a place to crash.

So when he'd brought up the topic of escaping to one of said homes for a month or two, he'd expected his girl to be packed and ready to go before he could even book the tickets.

Instead, he got this.

Klaus had come a long way in the decades he'd been with Caroline. He'd tamped down his rage issues and even a few of his more violent tendencies. He still drank like a fish - blood and alcohol - but after a thousand years, there were just some habits that would not be broken. And one of those traits that refused to completely leave him was his paranoia. The fact that there was constantly someone plotting against him didn't help the matter either.

The right thing to do would be to confront Caroline about this head on. If there was a reason she didn't want to skip town with him, he should be the first to hear it.

But Klaus had never really been all that good at the right thing.

So instead he spent the next few days searching through her drawers, her desk, even her car. Finding no evidence, he kicked it up a notch, having a few faithfully compelled vampires check in on her every now and then and report back. Their reports turned out to be disappointingly dull, so he sunk to the one level he thought he'd never reach.

He checked her credit card statements. Her emails. Her phone records.

And what should he find but a startlingly number of calls made to their house in the south of Spain. He couldn't imagine who would have the gall to stay in his house uninvited, but perhaps Caroline had given permission to this mystery guest? But why on earth would she feel the need to keep that a secret from him?

It wasn't until the next morning that the pieces all came together.

The shrill ringing of Caroline's cell phone interrupted her morning routine in the bathroom, and when Klaus recognized the number he decided enough was enough.

He flashed out of the room, staying just on the other side of the door.

After a quick scuffle that could no doubt be Caroline searching around their room, he heard the radio turning on to mask the call. If he'd been anywhere else in the house, he might have missed the fact that she was on the phone at all.

"What are you still doing in my house?" Her angry voice carried just over the sound of the speakers. "I told you that Klaus and I would be heading out there soon. Elijah needs to put a continent between you and Spain before then."

"Oh, calm down Carebear," Klaus heard a familiar dulcet voice on the other end of the line. "I've been running from that maniac for centuries, I know what I'm doing."

Katerina.

The pulsing desire for vengeance flooded through him, and he was seconds from storming right into that room to rip the phone out of Caroline's hand. He could be at that villa in less than twelve hours, Katerina's blood dripping from his fingers in twelve and a half.

The more rational side of him, the one that Caroline had spent years fostering, told him to wait.

"_Please_, you'd have been dead in the water if I hadn't warned you about Poland. It's not my responsibility to keep you alive, Katherine." Caroline hissed at the other girl.

"But you love Elijah too much to do anything else." Katherine giggled mockingly. "It's kind of pathetic how far you're willing to go to keep Klaus and his brother on good terms."

Klaus clenched his fists, trying his hardest to keep the rage from boiling over. This was no quick warning that Caroline had sent off. She'd been helping Katerina escape him for decades if this latest news was any indication. He couldn't decide whom he was angrier with; Elijah for pursuing this illicit affair again, or Caroline for covering it up.

"Why did you call me? What do you want?" Caroline sighed, and a loud fluffing sound told him that she'd thrown herself on the bed in frustration.

"Elijah asked me to tell you that we're heading to New York tomorrow night. If you're smart, you'll fly through Miami when you head out here."

"Noted." Caroline bit out. The small clicking sound that came after signaled that she'd hung up.

Klaus debated what to do with this new information. The part of him that was screaming to hop on the next flight to JFK and lay in wait for his prey was winning at the moment. But a smaller part of him, the wounded part, was crying for Caroline's blood too. The woman he trusted more than anyone else on the planet had just proved herself deceitful. She'd lulled him into a false sense of security and now the rug was ripped right out from under him.

The tug-of-war continued until Caroline stepped out in the hall, ending the battle of wills for good. It seemed she would be getting the brunt of his wrath today instead of Elijah and Katerina.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she caught sight of him, and a look of dread crossed her features.

"Hey, I-um… I thought you left?" She mumbled out, nervously wringing her hands.

"I didn't." His voice was practically a growl.

"Well… I was going to head to that café down the street for breakfast. Want to come with?" She gave him the fakest smile he could imagine. It made him sick.

"So the deception continues then?" Klaus asked. "Or are we going to pretend I didn't just overhear that little conversation with Katerina?"

Her eyes widened and she took a step back from him. He noticed proudly that she didn't immediately start searching for exits. Caroline was far too stubborn to run from him, but she would never give him the fear he craved. That didn't mean she wasn't positively reeking with guilt.

"Let me explain."

"Oh, I think I've got it all figured out on my own actually." Klaus circled her. "Elijah has been dabbling with that pathetic peasant girl again. You know, he does this every few centuries, and every time I catch them. He'll apologize profusely and help her run. We'll have our usual quarrel and maybe he'll spend a few dozen years in a box. And then the whole cycle begins again. But you? I never expected you to play along with it."

Caroline stared at her shoes, refusing to meet his eye as he ranted.

"So tell me Caroline, was it some redeeming quality you found in her, or did Katerina blackmail you into helping?" She opens her mouth to speak, but he cuts her off, "No, I know, it was all for the love of Elijah. Am I right? Did you do it all for his happiness?"

Caroline snorted at that, and he couldn't help but feel slighted. She wasn't supposed to find any of this funny. She was supposed to be scared for her life.

"Are you done?" Caroline pursed her lips, fed up with his raving.

He shrugged, gesturing for her to start making her excuses, but all she did was walk straight past him. Not a word came out of her as she packed up her purse and keys, strolling out the door like it was any other day. She was honestly behaving like she'd done nothing wrong.

"Don't walk away from me!" He shouted.

"I'm not walking away," She yelled back, "I'm waiting for an apology, you asshole!"

Klaus stopped halfway down their front steps, frowning deeply. "_I'm _supposed to apologize. You must be mad, you're the one who's in congress with my sworn enemy."

Caroline rolls her eyes, "In congress? Sworn enemy? God, you are so pretentious! Your feelings are hurt because I lied to you a few times to keep you from making the biggest mistake of your life. Get over it."

She stood there on their front steps, hip cocked to the side and blonde curls shining in the sun. Her attitude should have had him seething, but instead he found himself taking a completely inappropriate moment to appreciate how fantastically he'd chosen the love of his life. This woman stood her ground and screamed right back at him in his foulest temper.

Perfection.

It didn't stop him from wanting to rip her glorious little throat out though. He barreled down the rest of the steps in an instant, getting as close to her as he dared in this kind of temper. Which equated to a couple of inches. He towered over her, one step above her making all the difference. If she minded the invasion of personal space, she didn't show it.

"And what mistake is that?" He asked. "Ending the miserable existence of Katerina Petrova?"

"No!" She yelled, finally snapping. "Ruining your relationship with your brother forever! In case you hadn't noticed, you're in kind of short supply with those!"

That hurt. Caroline never brought up Kol or Finn. She knew that their deaths hit him like a bucket of ice water every time he lingered on thoughts of them. She usually did her best to distract him when he stumbled on reminders.

This time though, she was not pulling punches.

"Do you honestly think Elijah and Katherine are soul mates or something?" She asked.

"Of course not." He scoffed at the ridiculous notion. The day Katerina Petrova was anyone's soul mate would be a cold day in hell.

"Then why the hell do you think they keep going back to each other? For kicks?" She was screaming at him like he was missing the most obvious point in the world, but he still couldn't figure it out.

His confused expression gave him away, and she started talking soft and slow like one addressed a two-year-old.

"It's. Forbidden. Fruit. You dumbass." Caroline could not sound more condescending if she tried. "You don't _allow_ them to be together, so of course they bounce back to each other like magnets. Do you know one vampire that doesn't absolutely love breaking the rules?"

He swallowed slowly, trying to process this new information. He'd always thought that Elijah had just been rebelling against him, trying to ruffle his feathers. Katerina, of course, took any opportunity to piss him off, so he'd figured this was no different.

But what if Caroline was right?

What if all this time the only reason the two tragic lovers had kept reuniting was because he had expressly forbid it?

Caroline sighed, taking pity on his flummoxed mind. She stepped up to his level, running a calming caress across his face.

"She's his epic love. If you kill her, Elijah will never forgive you for taking away their 'someday'. He'll treat her like a martyr, and you'll never get back to a good place with him. Not in a thousand years."

Klaus turned away from the hand stroking his face, not wanting to listen to another word of this romantic drivel. And not because she was right. _Ab_s_olutely not. _

"I don't want to see you lose the one brother you have left because you weren't able to let one raging bitch off the hook."

Caroline's voice is soft and sympathetic, but he still refuses to look at her. She just grabbed his chin firmly, turning his face back so that he'd look her in the eye.

"Did you ever think, that if you just let them be, maybe they'd fall apart on their own? He's a pompous ass, and she's literally the devil incarnate. How long can they last once they don't have the Romeo and Juliet thing going for them?"

She raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer. He didn't have one. The idea was a compelling one. Certainly more palatable than the thought that Elijah and Katerina were 'meant to be'. That would absolutely induce his gag reflex.

Caroline turned to leave, obviously thinking she was getting nowhere with him. He grabbed her arm pulling her back.

"If I let them go, you'll cut off all contact with Katherine?" Klaus left no room for argument in his question.

"God yes, the less I have to talk to that woman the better." Caroline answered.

He took a long moment, grinding his teeth and fighting his instinct to just hunt the bitch down. It's a 600-year-old habit. It will take some time.

Ultimately, he decided that a happy Caroline was more favorable than a surly Elijah, and nodded his head once. The explosive smile that Caroline gave him was more than worth it. Perhaps he'll change his mind in a year or a century. But for now, Caroline had no more reason to sneak around behind his back, and he had no more reason to doubt her. That was good enough for him.

* * *

The next morning, he had a bottle of Cristal delivered to the Mediterranean house, with a handwritten note.

_You have my blessing. Burn the sheets when you leave._

_-Klaus_

It wasn't exactly poetry, but it got the point across.

He spent the entirety of the next week making love to Caroline in the most romantic and brutal ways imaginable. He worshiped her like the queen she was, and then punished her for every lie in between. Mostly though, he tried not to wonder if she'd somehow conned him into letting his brother ride off into the sunset with the woman he hated most on the planet.

* * *

**Go check out Sinners Like Us if you're looking for a more plot-heavy Klaroline fic. Things are about to get crazy in NOLA.**

**And leave a review if you've got the time! **


	3. Ghosts

**Title**: Ghosts

**Disclaimer**: Anything TO or TVD related belongs to the CW

_**A/N: This was an idea that popped into my head when desi2747 suggested that maybe Caroline should die in the finale. I then wrote this and wouldn't you know, Tyler/Caroline/Stefan had the thing in 5x21. So I changed it up a bit to work out as if Caroline had died instead. Of course no one could keep that kind of news a secret from our favorite hybrid! **_

* * *

_Under the weight of belief, you shiver and shake like a leaf  
__But death is a force, not a man on a horse_

* * *

The news had come at the most inopportune time.

Here he was finally getting his city under control, and the Mystic Idiots had to go and ruin it for him. The moonlight rings were nearly ready, Mikael was about to be sucked into oblivion, and Marcel's army was currently getting their asses handed to them at the compound. Life was supposed to be good.

Then one phone call had ruined it all. The first time he spoke with Bonnie, it had been to confirm that Mikael was in fact haunting them of his own volition and not some silly spell. The vindictive bastard just couldn't let sleeping dogs lie and had decided to torture them as the Other Side faded into nothingness. The second call had been to confirm that there was no way for him to slip back into the land of the living.

Davina had been telling some interesting tales and Klaus was not about to let his father manipulate his way back into their lives. He'd spent 1000 years trying to kill that man, he wasn't about to spend 1000 more doing it again. But there had been something in Bonnie's tone that had been off on that second call. It wasn't irritation like the last time.

It was hopelessness.

At first she'd passed it off as depression over her own inevitable death, but Bonnie Bennett was a fighter. She wouldn't get weepy over a death sentence; those were handed out daily in Mystic Falls. So he pushed. And he pushed. And finally after a thinly veiled threat to Abby Bennett, Bonnie had broken down and told him the news he had hoped never to hear.

Caroline Forbes was dead.

Killed by that ingrate of an ex-boyfriend of hers.

Well not technically, since he'd been possessed by a murderous witch, but still. Tyler's hand had been the one to sink into Caroline's chest cavity and pull out the beating ray of light that had surely encompassed her heart. And he would die for it. One day Klaus would track the boy down and exact vengeance for whatever part Tyler had played in Caroline's death. He was supposed to be bloody in love with her. He was supposed to fight off any compulsion or manipulation that could ever threaten the woman he loved.

A roar tore through the witches' greenhouse as he destroyed everything in it. Anything his sight touched had to be obliterated. How dare the windows let moonlight filter through them. How dare the wind chimes tinkle softly with music. How dare the roses bloom with life when Caroline could not.

She was dead. She was gone.

His beautiful Caroline, extinguished before she'd even begun to live. She would never see Rome or Paris or Tokyo. She would never taste the exotic foods of the Middle East or lounge on the beaches of the Mediterranean. He'd planned it all for her you know. The sights they would see, and the life they would live. When she was ready. She was supposed to have eternity. And she'd never even stepped foot outside that deathtrap of a town. All he could picture was her grey skinned corpse, rotting somewhere miles away. The gaping hole in her chest would be nothing in comparison to the dried out husk of her flesh, no longer radiating warmth and light. No smile on her lips or sparkle in her eyes. Just death. And in that death was his misery.

He could tell Davina was terrified, but her loyalty to her friend kept her rooted to the spot. He considered ripping her throat out, just to feel the blood coursing down his chin, but even that prospect brought Caroline's disapproving frown to his mind.

"B-bad news?" Davina stuttered quietly, the normally brave girl cowed at his unquenchable rage. A rumble deep in his chest was her only answer, but she pushed on. "I told you everything I knew about Mikael, and we had a deal. Now give Josh your blood."

"To save his life." Klaus chuckled darkly. "Life. A fragile thing, even for a vampire. Snuffed out from a thousand miles away. Nothing you can do about it. Not really."

Davina swallowed, confused as she tried to interpret his madness. Good luck, sweetheart, he didn't know quite what was in his head right now either. Perhaps they could ask Mikael? He always seemed to know.

"He's half dead already. Please Klaus! The Other Side is falling apart, who knows what will happen to him over there." Davina pleaded.

And with that came the second blow of the night. Spirits of the dead on the Other Side were getting sucked away into nothingness. The universe wasn't satisfied with taking Caroline from him. It had to erase her entire existence from this earth as well.

Damn it all to hell.

The sickly vampire, who was laid out on the table, suddenly seized back to consciousness, coughing up blood everywhere. Hybrid bites were a nasty business. At another other time, Klaus would have probably reveled a bit Josh's agony, but he couldn't imagine a time he'd revel in anything ever again. Not anymore.

Josh lifted his head, eyes barely staying open. "Do you have a death wish or something?" He mumbled, staring off to his left. "He's killed people for calling him that." *

"Josh?" Davina grabbed his face, trying to get him to focus. "Josh, talk to me."

"No use, love. The venom is making him hallucinate. You'll only get nonsense out of him now."

Josh chuckled and raised himself up on his elbows briefly before falling back down. "She's funny, we should keep her."* He chokes out, pointing at that same dark corner.

Davina looked at the empty corner and then back at her friend. "Josh… do you see someone?" She waited for him to nod weakly and then helped him through another coughing fit. "It could be another ghost," she suggested, turning to Klaus. "If the Other Side is falling apart as quickly as you say, then even the dying might be able to communicate with the dead."

"Lovely," Klaus answered, "But pointless to me." He turned to leave, thinking he'd rather be left to mourn alone. There was an entire town just waiting to be slaughtered out there. Either that or a bar somewhere to drink dry. Which option would be a better send off to the girl who never really lived?

"Dude, she says wait." Josh called out. Klaus sighed in annoyance. He was two seconds away from ripping the boy's heart out and ending his suffering once and for all. "I can't say that," Josh was speaking to the corner again, "He'll take my head off. Literally."*

"Tell your Casper to bugger off, I have no interest in ghostly drama." He growled.

Josh took in a rattling breath, "She says she's only here because you're thinking about her." Klaus narrowed his eyes at that. "And then she called you a hybrid douche. Her words not mine, I swear."

The flicker of hope that sparked in his chest was almost too easy to push down. It couldn't be. He couldn't be unlucky enough to have her presence right there with him and not get to touch her. To see her. The world couldn't be that cruel.

Regardless, the name slipped past his lips anyways, "Caroline?"

"Is that your name?" Josh asked his ghost. "It's pretty. You're pretty." The vampire's head lolled back, and he nearly lost consciousness.

Klaus flashed forward, grabbing his chin. "Come on, Joshua. I'm afraid I've found a use for you after all, stay with me now." A few rough slaps of the cheeks later and Josh was blinking back awake. "Caroline? You still here, sweetheart?"

"She's still here," Josh confirmed. "But she's asking you to stop obsessing over her so she can go back home."

"Typical," Klaus laughed, hoping it didn't sound too choked up. "Spurning my advances even after you're…" There was no way he was completing that sentence. Saying it out loud made it real. It meant that even if she was here, she wasn't really here. And she certainly wasn't staying.

"Are you gunna cry?" Davina asked, tactless until the end. He made sure to glare especially hard at the girl. Josh's chuckling distracted him again though, and he was desperate enough for news on Caroline that he forgave the witch's little snub. For now.

"What's she saying?" Klaus demanded.

"Nothing."* Josh answered too quickly, which meant it was probably very unflattering. "But there's a plan with that Bonnie girl. They're working on bringing people back from the Other Side. Some guy named Enzo?"

"Never met him." Klaus droned. "Is this going to work, Caroline?"

There were a few silent moments that stood between his question and Josh delivering her answer but she seemed optimistic. A spell, a few witches, and a minor explosion were apparently all the ingredients required to bring the woman he loved back to this world. He would take what he could get.

"Very well, love. Off you go. Back to that doomed town, and do remember to give me a call if you succeed." Klaus felt a bit stupid smiling at the empty space that Caroline occupied, but he did it anyway. He wanted her to see the hope in his eyes. The determination to get her back.

"Yeah, she's still standing there." Josh interjected awkwardly. "She says stop thinking about her, it's the only way she's going to be able to leave."

Klaus rolled his eyes, "Well that's a bit difficult. You know you're always on my mind."

Davina made a gagging noise behind him, which he disregarded.

"Well here's something to get your mind off it," Josh suggested. "Caroline says your psycho dad knows about the spell too. You can bet he's got a witch or two down here working on it."

That certainly did put a damper on things. Though Klaus was a little surprised to find that he didn't care much about Mikael's return if it mean Caroline lived as well. Strange, how the prospect of the dead returning had been agonizing only an hour, and now it filled him with hope. He'd fight Mikael for another ten thousand years if it meant he had Caroline by his side. It did present a very real issue though. If Mikael could get himself resurrected before the moonlight stones were enchanted, then Klaus and Elijah would be right back where they had been only a few years ago. On the run from their father and terrified for their lives. Pushing aside his more sentimental notions, Klaus tried to focus on that fear and on Mikael.

"Duty calls then. I _will_ see you later, Caroline."

"She's gone," Josh told him a moment later. "But she said thank you before she left. Oh, and she kindly and respectfully requested that you feed me your blood."

"Kindly and respectfully, hmm?" Klaus asked doubtfully.

"Something about hybrid bites hurting like a bitch might have been thrown in too, but I think that was mostly just an attempt at a guilt trip."

It was the wit more than anything that saved Josh's life that night. Klaus had to respect a man who could joke about life and death when he was hovering on the latter's doorstep.

* * *

_Fight those demons day in and day out_

* * *

**Short and sweet, but there you go. I'm considering making this a two-parter where Klaus follows up on Caroline's status, but I'm waiting until after the TO finale to see where the hell that even goes. **

**And in case you were wondering, here are Caroline's lines.**

_***God you are such a drama queen, can we pull it together please?**_

_***Like you would know anything about werewolf venom hallucinations. You practically plugged your ears and hummed when I was going cuckoo for cocoa puffs on Elena's couch last year.**_

_***I don't have time to hang around haunting his ass all night while he cries into his whiskey. Tell him to man up and get over it.**_

_***He's totally gunna cry. I know, I know, the prospect of a world without Caroline Forbes is too tragic for even your grinch sized heart to fathom. **_


	4. The Parting Glass

**Title**: The Parting Glass

**Disclaimer**: Anything TO or TVD related belongs to the CW

**Summary**_**: If the war in NOLA had been waaaayyyy more simplistic and Caroline had been included in the goddamn spinoff from the beginning. Peasants.**_

* * *

_And all I've done for want of wit,_  
_to memory now I can't recall_

* * *

Moving to New Orleans had never been in Caroline's plan.

Go to college, get a degree, stay close to Mystic Falls as long as physically possible, and then see the world. That was her plan. Nowhere in that plan did falling in love with an Original hybrid and moving to his city of sin factor in.

But circumstances had a way of dragging you into things you'd never dreamed of.

Her not so secret Original admirer just couldn't keep his mouth shut about the girl he left in Mystic Falls apparently. Really, if he was so determined to find a shrink, maybe he shouldn't have chosen the girl who had a burgeoning relationship with his main opponent? Predictably, Cami had taken that information straight to Marcel, and you know what they say: hell hath no fury like a continuously compelled woman scorned.

Marcel's vampire goons had shown up at the Mystic Falls precinct and attacked her mother, halfway through her second semester. They had either hoped to draw Klaus' lady love out or do some serious damage to her psyche, but it was hard to tell when they were unsuccessful. If Liz had been any other small town sheriff, she would be rotting in the ground after that. Thankfully, a cleverly timed call to her daughter and a few vervain grenades had saved Liz's life.

So Caroline made her way down to the Big Easy to sort matters out. The months that followed had been the most terrifying and exhilarating of her life, but she'd been a quick study to the art of war. She'd found strategy and exploitation were actually things that she excelled at. Sometimes it troubled her, other times she exulted in it.

Things had settled eventually, with Marcel's army put down and peace restored to the French Quarter. The supernatural war had allowed Caroline to indulge in a few scandalous activities her friends would certainly disapprove of, and the peace was no different. It turned out, dating an immortal hybrid, who ruled over one of the most lively cities in the world was actually not so bad.

So she ended up staying a few extra months. Then a few extra years. Decades later, Caroline was the happiest she'd ever been and she had her slightly dysfunctional relationship to thank for that.

Marcel still occasionally stirred up trouble and the war would begin anew. Caroline secretly speculated that Klaus only kept his former protégé alive because he reveled in the ongoing battle of wills. She supposed he used the constant match with a worthy opponent as an opportunity to flex his manipulative muscles and keep his skills sharp.

Sometimes Caroline enjoyed it too. After nearly a century, entertainment was not as easy to find as it once had been. Boredom was an ever-present enemy. A girl's got to have some fun every now and then. But most often, she abstained from their war games, choosing instead to watch from the sidelines and celebrate once the race was won.

So in the summer of their 70th year together, she'd begged Klaus to leave her out of it. Mindless bloodshed was not calling to her lately, and she had no interest in plotting this way or that.

And she'd truly believed he'd keep his word.

After all, it had been nearly two months since mess began anew, and she hadn't heard a whisper of conflict from anyone - besides the occasional nights Klaus came to bed reeking of blood.

Well… she'd believed it until she woke up soaked in vervain in Marcel's underground garden at least.

"Well if this isn't the most predictable hiding spot in the world…" Caroline groaned out as she came slowly back to consciousness.

"That's the beauty of it," Marcel argued back from his dark corner, "It's way too obvious. Klaus would cross this place off his list right away. That diabolical mastermind is probably digging up half the bayou looking for you right now, while we're safe two blocks down from his house."

Caroline huffed, shifting under her clothes. Each tiny movement brushed the vervain soaked fabric against a new piece of skin, causing her to hiss in pain.

"Yeah, you might want to stay still, Princess. I wasn't totally on board for that acid bath earlier, but we've all got to follow orders sometimes."

"Orders?" She asked. "Since when do you take anyone's orders but your own? Hasn't that been like, the main issue the past century or two? That you won't bow down to anyone in _your_ city?"

Marcel just smiled that all too charming smile of his. "Temporary new leadership. Once I'm back on my throne, the natural order will be restored."

Caroline rolled her eyes and tugged at her chains a few times. Reasonably, she knew she wasn't getting out of here without an armed rescue squad, but that didn't mean she had to sit there complacent.

"You know, I was kind of bummed when you decided to sit this round out." Marcel carried on without her. "You're a smart girl. Outthinking Klaus is tough, but doable. Outthinking you both was much more of a challenge."

"Flattery doesn't exactly have the same effect on a woman tied to a chair, you know. Just ask Camille." She smirked, letting that sink in.

Marcel's face darkened with rage, his muscles tensing and releasing. He wanted to hit her so bad right now, she could see it.

"Oh wait... you can't, can you?" She giggled evilly. "You know, I wasn't actually in the room when she died - Klaus was trying to keep my delicate sensibilities intact back then - but I _did _hear the screams. It was brutal to listen to, I can't imagine how painful it was to experience."

That got her a pop in the face, but it was to be expected. Decades later and Marcel still got touchy about his perfect human pet from yesteryear. It was all a lie of course. Camille had died quickly from a broken neck when one of the vampires loyal to Klaus had found her in a 'wrong time wrong place' kind of situation. Klaus had staked the idiot for eliminating a valuable chess piece, but the damage was done. No use crying over spilled blonde.

Taunting Marcel about her 'torturous death' always made for neat party trick though. She wondered if he literally saw red?

Caroline spit out the blood that pooled in her mouth, already feeling the inside of her cheek start to knit back together slowly. Well that was promising. If she could still heal then she couldn't be as hard up as she thought.

"You know, it's your own fault for sending her in there on her own. What kind of boyfriend risks his girl's life over a measly grimoire?"

"You think I don't know that?!" He yelled back at her. "I watch you two play out your macabre fairytale ending every damn day, while I sit here stewing in the guilt that I got _my queen_ killed over some stupid spell! It makes me sick, and so help me-"

"Marcel!" A chilly accented voice floated down the steps into the garden. Not a minute later, the sound of heeled boots clicking on the stone accompanied the sight of a pair of shapely, long legs making their way down. When they finally reached the bottom, Caroline actually found herself speechless.

"Rebekah?" She whispered.

"Hello, Caroline. Sorry about the rough treatment, but if Nik is ever going to learn his lesson, we had to do something that would leave an impression." The sickly sweet smile that stretched across the Original's face conveys the true depth of madness there. It was easy to forget sometimes that these siblings had survived centuries in a world full of brutality and death. And other times, it was all too easy to remember.

Soaked in vervain and tasting her own blood, now was one of the latter times for Caroline.

"You did this to me? But we're friends…" Caroline hated how defeated she sounded in that moment. She and Rebekah certainly hadn't been braiding each other's hair over the past century, but they'd put away their self-indulgent squabbling years ago. If they weren't friends, they were certainly shopping buddies.

"Of course we are darling. And sometimes friends have to torture friends for the greater good. You understand." Rebekah brushed a strand of bloody hair off of her face and brushed her burned cheek. "You do look terrible though. If you survive this, we're taking a week at that spa in Santa Barbara to help you recover. My treat."

Caroline hissed and swiped her bared fangs at Rebekah, but the other girl was too fast for her. As always.

"Temper, temper!" Rebekah laughed. "Marcel, be a dear and get me a stake to drive through her neck. That should keep those teeth in place."

Marcel started rooting around in a bag for an acceptable weapon to skewer her with and Caroline glared at her supposed sister-in-law. There might not have been a ring on anyone's finger, but they'd pledge eternity together, and that at least should have ensured Rebekah would defend her instead of exploit her in Klaus' war. It seemed the girl's treachery knew no bounds these days.

"So what, Klaus stole your favorite doll this time, and now you're out for revenge?" Caroline sniffed, trying not to let the panic sink in. Klaus against Marcel was a ridiculously outmatched fight. Klaus against Rebekah? Those odds were not so friendly, especially if Rebekah had back up. "What on earth could have brought you all the way to New Orleans just to stick it to him?"

"Well that's my business." Rebekah evaded her question.

Caroline narrowed her eyes. Rebekah loved to rail on her brothers. It was her favorite pastime. Moaning and groaning about how they bullied her as a little girl, how they never appreciated her over the centuries, how all of their accomplishments were thanks to her and they didn't even know it. It was delusional but predictable. So why didn't she want to vent now?

As the thought festered, Caroline noticed Marcel pull what looked like the world's smallest, sharpest stake out of the bag and begin twirling it between his fingers.

Fantastic.

"You know, it's real hard to miss the windpipe _and_ the carotid when you stab someone in the neck." Marcel danced closer to her, and she started to fidget roughly in her chair. "But it's possible. It's also a lot slower death since you don't choke or bleed out right away." He placed one hand on her forehead, steadying her so that he could aim more precisely. "Hold still now, wouldn't want to knick something, would I?"

Right when Caroline thought she was about to be in a world of pain, something flashed in the corner of her eye. It was too quick for her to catch, but it put Marcel on guard. He released her and held the tiny stake up as protection against the unknown.

"What was that?" he asked Rebekah.

"I don't know," she responded, eyes searching the shadows. The moment Marcel turned back around though, Caroline caught a slight flicker of her hand.

"We should send Diego to check the-" Marcel's sentence was cut off by a metal knife forcing its way into his back and through his stomach. He gasped in pain, sinking to the floor and contorting this way and that, trying reach the weapon.

"I know, I know," Rebekah said, pushing the knife deeper, "Literally stabbing you in the back, while I'm metaphorically stabbing you in the back is a little on the nose. But I couldn't resist." She twisted the knife once before kicking him forward onto his front.

"I'm officially confused." Caroline managed to get out.

"So sorry about the theatrics," Rebekah apologized, tearing the chains away and releasing her, "But Nik said to make it believable, so…"

"I didn't mean you had to bloody incinerate her, Bekah." A familiar voice echoed behind her. Caroline turned in her chair to see Klaus leaning against the cave wall, arms folded and expression pouty. "And then you nearly stick her in the throat? If I didn't know better I'd say you were still holding onto a bit of your resentment, little sister."

"Me hold a grudge?" Rebekah smiled. "Never."

Klaus helped Caroline struggle to her feet, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead before passing her off to lean on Rebekah. He then grabbed Marcel around the throat, pulling the sword out of his back slowly and painfully if the muted groans were any indication.

"See mate, if you'd just stuck to the agreement to leave Caroline out of this, we wouldn't be in this situation." He patted Marcel on the cheek affectionately. "But you had to start plotting her capture, so I was forced to take drastic action."

"I was enjoying Brazil you know." Rebekah whined. "Next time, keep to the rules of your demented little power struggle, so that I don't have to drag myself back to this city to play vengeful sister."

Klaus laughed, "Well I doubt it would work a second time," he had barely finished the sentence before he bit into Marcel's shoulder with a viciousness he hadn't displayed in years. Marcel screamed, and Caroline found a small bit of joy in that. "I've already killed your queen mate. Stop trying to take mine." Klaus snarled.

Caroline could see the panic in Marcel's eyes as he realized what had just happened. Deadly hybrid venom now ran through his veins and he'd just tortured the love of the only man who could cure him.

"Are we done then?" Marcel asked, defeated. "You're finally going to kill me and let this little merry-go-round creep to stop?"

"Oh, I wouldn't say you'll die for sure." Klaus returned to his earlier jovial attitude. "There's a vial of my blood floating around somewhere in North America, let's guess the chances that you find it in the next three days, shall we?"

Marcel grunted and pressed a hand to his bloody shoulder. "Care to narrow it down a little?" He asked.

"Bekah, dearest? Where did you drop it off?"

"One of our old haunts in Ontario, I think? Quite a ways out, isn't it?" She smiled vindictively. "Best be off now, before the hallucinations set it."

Marcel took one more moment to glare at the pair of them, and then he was gone in a flash. Caroline swayed on her feet a bit, but managed to walk towards Klaus, who opened his arms for her. She took one final step towards him and then threw her entire weight behind the punch she shot at his face.

The hybrid staggered back after the hit, but it was too weak to cause anything other than mild shock in him. He grabbed his jaw with a frown and turned back towards her.

"No gratitude for your rescuer then?" He growled.

"My rescuer? You are such an unbelievable asshole." She hissed right back.

"I think I'll just…" Rebekah trailed off, pointing up the stairs and then disappearing.

Caroline watched her go with a bubbling rage in her stomach. She'd make sure the Original Barbie got her comeuppance for this one day. Perhaps in a couple decades, when she thought all was forgiven. Turning back to Klaus, she focused on the rage she felt growing stronger. "You knew this would happen to me." She spat out, with all the hatred she could muster.

He just sighed and looked up to the ceiling, like he was humoring a child's tantrum. "No need to get worked up, love. I had it all under control."

"Under control?!" Caroline screamed. "I am drenched in vervain and I nearly got stabbed in the throat, but you had it under control? Fuck you, Klaus!"

"Rebekah went overboard, I agree-"

"Because you told her to! You knew Marcel was going to take me, and instead of warning me, you call in Rebekah and put this charade together? Why?!" She went in for another punch, but he caught her hand with ease.

"Stop this." Klaus ordered. "I made a difficult choice in an incredibly sensitive situation. It was the only option I had left." He tossed her hand away and she actually stumbled, forgetting how weakened she was. When he started to pace, she knew that the guilt was starting to work its way in. "I had no idea where Marcel was operating from. Who would have thought he'd be dumb enough to use this space again? I knew he was going to come for you, so I could either bring you into it - like you asked me not to -" he pointed an accusatory finger at her, "Or I could see how it played out with a man on the inside keeping me informed. The safer option by far, with many more rewards."

Caroline nearly screamed she was so furious. "So you used me as bait? To figure out where Marcel's 'secret lair' was? I'm not a chess piece for you to move around the board, Klaus!"

"I know that, but strategically it was-"

"No! Strategically my ass, do not try to rationalize this away. This was wrong!"

Klaus held his hands up, trying to placate her. "You're right. Not telling you the plan was a gamble, but you had to sell it sweetheart. If you didn't believe you were actually in danger, Marcel would have sensed the trap and ran. Now, he's weakened, wounded, and heading out of the city for a few days. I can round up and dispose of his remaining followers in the lull, and everyone goes home happy. This is a victory, Caroline."

This was too much. He was actually celebrating his ingenious plan right in front of her. With her skin still burned and her nerves still shot.

"You played me." She whispered. "We said we'd never lie to each other, but… you played me."

When she started backing away from him, he must have grasped the seriousness of the situation. He stalked towards her, grabbing her shoulders gently and looking her in the eye. His gaze was intense and nearly apologetic, but there was that lingering _something_ there. The thrill of the hunt, the satisfaction at a plan well run. Caroline knew it well. She'd felt it on occasion herself. But this time, she was the plan. And that hurt.

"Caroline, love, I know you're upset, and I'm sorry. But please try to understand, I did this with the best of intentions. I'll tell Rebekah she went too far, maybe even dagger her for a few years, if you like. This was really beyond the scope of what I asked of her-"

"Do you even hear yourself?" Caroline couldn't help her lip from wobbling slightly as she held back tears. "I'm not hurt because Rebekah played rough. I'm hurt because you used me. We're not… we're not partners in this. Not anymore. Oh god, I was so stupid." She shook her head and tried to pull out of his grip but he just held her tighter.

"Caroline," he searched for the words that would fix this, but came up blank.

"I knew you were psychotic but this… this is a whole new level, even for us."

"Don't do this, Caroline. Don't pull away from me." Klaus begged. "You knew I was capable of terrible things. You knew that when you agreed to stay. You said you'd love me through everything, do you remember that?" She could hear him bargaining with every word, begging for forgiveness the only way he knew how. With accusations and blame.

"I never thought that you would do those terrible things _to me_! To me, Klaus," she sobbed. "You had me tortured and kidnapped for the sake your stupid game! Treated me like I'm your-your pet or your doll or… How could you?" She fought hard not the sink to the ground and wallow in this awful feeling that was tearing through her gut worse that any knife or stake ever could.

Betrayal.

She felt betrayed. He'd destroyed every ounce of the open and honest relationship they'd been building for nearly 70 years. In the span of one day, with one convoluted war game.

For what? Entertainment? Validation? To prove that he was once again the smarter man, more capable of ruling a ridiculous city in the south? That was it?

Well then, he could rule it alone. He could snack on sorority girls during Mardis Gras and go to jazz festivals and drink Bourbon Street dry by himself. Caroline had given decades of her life to this man. The one who'd promised her the world and given it to her ten times over. The man who she'd thought would always put her first.

Pulling herself together, she started to hear Klaus' pleas for her to stop, and it was only then that she realized she was storming out of the underground crypt. He was full on begging by the time she reached the street, but she would not stop. In a last desperate attempt, he pulled on her arm to turn her around, and catching him off guard again, she struck him in the face. A slap hard enough to have her hand throbbing was just as satisfying as she imagined, but not nearly as wonderful as the shocked and hurt expression on his face.

"Caroline, please. I do love you. I promise. Don't leave."

For a moment, she saw the wounded man beneath the monster, desperate for a constant to weather the storm with. A companion. But that man served the monster and always would. And she could not subject herself to its whims anymore.

"Don't follow me." She breathed deeply, shaking with rage and sorrow. "Don't look for me, or send someone to bring me back. Don't even think about it. I'm leaving you, Klaus. And if you have any hope of ever making this right again, you'll let me."

He shook his head, and she could see him running through every option at hand to keep her there. Coercion, blackmail, force; they were all weapons laid out before him, waiting to be picked up and wielded to perfection. So she grabbed the hand that trapped her and squeezed it softly.

"Let me go." She begged.

His jaw tightened, and it was a sight to behold as the man fought with the monster. Softly, he released a breath and his grip loosened. Just like that, he stepped back from her and nodded slowly.

She walked right out of the city that night.

Alone and unhindered by anything she'd come to know and love these past years. A blank slate in front of her. She knew she'd be back one day. Klaus was her soul mate, if she still believed in silly things like that. She'd get lonely, or he'd get crazy, and they'd return to each other. It could be year or it could be century. But for now, Caroline was on her own for the first time since she'd been a real teenager. And it felt like a breath of fresh air.

* * *

_So fill to me the parting glass,_  
_Goodnight and joy be with you all_

* * *

**So I know this is not the happy and squishy Klaroline we needed right now, but it's kind of what my brain has been messing with lately. We all know that Klaus has a tendency to take for granted the people that he loves and that love him. He treated his brothers and sisters as pieces on the board over and over again. So it stands to reason, that after so many years with Caroline, he'd start to do the same with her. But Caroline's MAIN insecurity is not being someone's first choice, so she would never react well to that. And who knows how long she'll stay gone, trying to recover from the betrayal?**

**Thanks for reading! **


	5. One Night Town

**Title**: One Night Town

**Disclaimer**: Anything TO or TVD related belongs to the CW

_**Summary: Caroline makes a trip to NOLA and runs into some less than friendly wolves. This is operating under a no-Hayley/no-baby, no 5x11 Klarosex alternate timeline, and Klaus has got a human Katherine with him. This was a drabble request from forever ago for a follower milestone. So you guys can't get mad about Sinners because I didn't waste precious writing time, I just found this and decided to post it.**_

* * *

_So when the lights go out, and the sun burns down_  
_ We're gonna climb this night_

* * *

The bite hurt like a bitch.

It was partially her own fault, she knew, but there was supposed to be _peace_ in New Orleans. Not werewolves and hybrids running amok around the city limits. Still, any good vampire worth her salt would know not to be wandering the outskirts of the city on a full moon. Shame on her.

If she hadn't been slowly dying, Caroline would have been able to appreciate the irony. She was going to die of a werewolf bite only miles away from Klaus' blood. She'd always imagined that this situation would arise when she was somewhere fabulous like Moscow or Vienna, thousands of miles away from the only antidote that could save her. It would be tragic, but poignant being so far away from the one man that could save her life. Not ten miles north of the city where Klaus was probably sipping hurricanes and painting his next masterpiece.

_Third time's the charm I guess_.

Keeping in touch with Klaus was supposed to be her insurance policy. Any time something terrible happened in her hometown, a thousand years of mystical knowledge was only a phone call away. She paid the small price of chit-chat and small talk every few weeks, but her connection to Klaus had saved their lives more than enough times to be worth it. That kitsune run-in they'd had a few months ago would have been the end of them all without the hybrid's sage advice.

So who was she to refuse after his gazillionth invitation to visit?

Viriginia was getting boring anyways, and Mardi Gras was next week. What was a small town college girl to do? It was supposed to be a quick trip. In and out. But Caroline Forbes had let her flare for the dramatic get the best of her and traded in her flight for a road trip that had gotten her into town a full twelve hours earlier than planned. The night of the full moon.

She'd of course known that Klaus was rounding up wolves in the area to turn them into hybrids. He'd explained as much on one of their skype dates. The werewolves that had been relegated to the bayou for years had been given the simple offer of drinking Katherine's blood and never having to change on the full moon again. Most turned willingly. Some did not.

She guessed that's why there were no less than three-dozen furry creatures out for blood tonight. They were hiding out from Klaus and his hybrid hunters.

More power to them, in Caroline's opinion. Being turned against your will was just _wrong_, but jeez did they have to bite her? It was a simple case of wrong time wrong place!

Caroline heard a howl in the distance and let herself breath for a moment. That one sounded at least a mile away, so she should be good for a while.

There were only a few hours left until sunrise, she could make it that long right? She pulled out her phone, quickly dialing Klaus again and getting voicemail for the fifth time. He was never exactly easy to get a hold of, but this was ridiculous.

It was literally life and death!

A snuffling right behind her sent her rocketing across the clearing, dodging trees and wildlife as she went. Listening harder, Caroline realized there were now three separate sets of paws hitting forest floor behind her. She cursed her luck again as she ducked under tree branches and vaulted over fallen logs.

She knew she was cornered when she heard a growl directly in front of her. Damn these pack wolves, they sure knew how to hunt as a unit. They'd driven her right into a trap. She turned around, the snap of twigs underneath her feet the only sound beside her heavy breathing, and noted that there were now five wolves circling her. They snapped their jaws and licked their teeth, goading her. Reminding her that behind the animal exterior, there were human minds sizing her up and finding her lacking.

One of them lunged and she sidestepped the attack - right into another wolf. Clever little monsters. It tackled her to the ground, teeth snapping inches away from her throat. The hard ground at her back gave her the leverage to grab the wolf around the throat and hold it off her, but its strength was quickly outmatching hers. The lightheaded feeling from her bite was starting to kick in, and Caroline knew she couldn't keep this up. Pushing with all her strength, she wrestled with the wolf, only to feel its teeth sink into her shoulder rather than her neck.

Caroline cried out in pain, and her grip slipped, releasing the monster on top of her. She caught a glimpse of it rearing its head back, going in for the kill, and closed her eyes in resignation.

She fleetingly wondered if the flower arrangement at her funeral would be white or pink, when she felt a huge weight topple off of her and watched as the wolf hurtled into the nearest tree.

Her eyes darted around the forest, as did the wolves' surrounding her. Another flash at the corner of the trees, and the largest of the wolves whimpered pathetically in fear. The hunters had become the hunted. After a closer look, Caroline spotted a man leaning carelessly against a tree a few yards away, his yellow eyes flashing in the darkness.

Hybrid.

She looked to her left and spotted three more, trucking their way through the mist. They swung off branches and hollered in excitement, the thrill of the chase filling the air. This was a sport for them.

The wolves turned tail and ran faster than she could catch, and the hybrids gave chase, disappearing from sight. Howling pierced through the night, hybrid and wolf alike, and Caroline let out a sigh of relief. Hopefully the war of the species would distract them long enough to get her into the city and to Klaus' blood.

You know what they say though... speak of the devil.

"I recall you telling me your flight landed _tomorrow_ afternoon." An accented voice floated towards her. She caught sight of him, glowing eyes and all, as he stepped out from behind the tree line.

"Took you long enough, I called you like twenty times!" She complained, straightening her jacket and standing up.

"What on earth are you doing out here on a full moon, Caroline? Do you have a death wish?" Klaus fumed.

"Must have." She answered, baring her left arm to show him the bite mark that had been festering the past couple of hours.

He frowned angrily at her, actually having the nerve to look irritated at her for _dying._

"I've got another one somewhere around here," she gestured to her shoulder, "so the hallucinations will probably set in soon. Unless you prefer me ranting and raving…" She prompted him.

Klaus bit deeply into his wrist, walking towards her and offering it up. She took hold of his arm awkwardly. Both of the other times she'd drunk from him, she'd been delirious and nearly unconscious. This time, she was fully aware of the fact that this was an intimate act they were committing.

She pulled his wrist closer anyway, and sunk her fangs into the slowly healing bite. He kept his eyes on her the whole time, and for some reason she found it impossible to look away. She let his blood drip down her throat, doing her best not to moan at the taste. His ego didn't need any more stroking. When she was nearly done, she made the fatal mistake of sweeping her tongue across his closing skin. His fist clenched tightly, and his eyes turned razor sharp, but he said nothing. A few drops later, she was releasing his arm and taking a small step back.

Well that was… personal.

The intensity in his eyes was daunting, and for a second she thought he might just bite her back, before a knowing smirk stretched across his lips. He wiped a bit of blood off her bottom lip and then offered her his arm.

"Welcome to New Orleans, love."

* * *

_You're the one with the cavalier smile_  
_ I'm the one with the open mile_  
_ Bright lights with no regrets_

* * *

**Short and sweet!**

**I'm getting some serious work done on Sinners lately, so I should have an update for you in a couple weeks. My hope is to get basically the entire ending written and then post very regularly as editing gets finished. Fingers crossed!**


	6. Alpha & Beta

**Title**: Alpha &amp; Beta

**Disclaimer**: Anything TO or TVD related belongs to the CW

_**Summary: Just a teeny bit of Klaroline fluff to tide you over during this long summer.**_

* * *

_There's no music, no confetti, crowds don't cheer, and bells don't ring_  
_ But you'll know it, I can guarantee, when the right one comes along_

* * *

The sound of a vacuum whirring on downstairs broke Klaus out of his two hour sketching trance.

Finding out that Elena had left Stefan for Damon (again) had clearly sent his girl into a bit of a hysterical meltdown. He'd never understand her ridiculous investment in Stefan Salvatore's love life. There was wanting your friend to be happy, and then there was obsession. She'd flirted with the latter of those two in the past few years when it came to what she fondly called _Stelena_.

Tried and true though, whenever Caroline felt out of control, she'd clean their house top to bottom until it practically sparkled. Stress cleaning, she called it. And normally, he'd be happy to let Caroline do her thing and attack the dust bunnies and lint clusters to her heart's content. But as of late, her little ritual was causing a bit of an inconvenience for him.

A furry, slobbery, mess of an inconvenience.

On cue, the sound of a loudly jangling collar could be heard speeding down the hallway, followed quickly by the German Shepherd that Caroline had playfully dubbed 'Beta' making a bounding leap onto the bed Klaus was currently stretched out on.

The dog nuzzled its way under Klaus' arm and into his lap, shaking and shivering all the way.

"A pack of murderous werewolves shows up at the door last month and you're barking your bloody head off in defense of your home, but a damn vacuum cleaner sends you running like a coward?" Klaus scolded the seventy-pound shivering pup. "Disgraceful."

He tried not to the wring the thing's neck as its grasping nails shredded the charcoal landscape he'd been painstakingly working on for the last hour. Klaus let a growl rumble around in his chest, trying to reestablish that he was the Alpha here, not the daddy. Beta just snuggled deeper into his lap though, dislodging the sketchbook completely.

The dog had been a compromise he'd make with Caroline nearly a year ago. One he regretted every day. She'd been getting baby eyes again. Those tearful little sighs escaping every time they crossed through the park and saw a mother and daughter playing on the swings. The quivering lip that made itself known when she caught sight of baby clothes in a store window. Vampirism came with one great drawback, and Caroline had never really reconciled herself to a childless future. But Klaus was in no way interested in raising a squalling, sticky infant - and he had the distinct impression that after a few months cooped up with one of those things, Caroline would agree. But there was no reason to tempt fate by actually agreeing to adopt.

So when the puppy had followed him home one night after a wolfy run around the woods, he'd allowed the thing to stay, hoping that it would ease some of Caroline's nurturing yearnings.

And Beta had been intent on making his life a living hell ever since. Peeing on the bathroom floor, tearing into two hundred year old furniture, and knocking a priceless bottle of champagne (that he'd been saving for a very special night with Caroline) right off the counter.

Despite the dog's bad behavior though, he and Caroline had only ever gotten into one fight over the animal. And it had been a rough one.

_**"It's the responsible thing to do, Klaus."**_

_**"You've already turned a vicious animal into a simpering house pet, he's not losing his balls too. Let him keep some of his dignity."**_

_**"What is it with men and balls? They're not attractive, women don't swoon over them. It's not like they make you more of a man or something."**_

_**"Typical woman response. You wouldn't understand."**_

_**"You know, I don't think I want to! Will you just let me neuter the damn dog?"**_

_**"Absolutely not."**_

That battle had continued on for weeks before Klaus finally won the war.

"I took a bullet for you that day, you could at least repay the favor by pretending to have the balls I fought so hard to let you keep." Klaus admonished the quivering mess in his lap.

All he got in response was a pathetic whimper.

Settling in for a long day, Klaus let his hand gently stroke behind the dog's ears, feeling the tension slowly ease out of the animal at the rhythmic petting. Caroline found them that way hours later, curled up together and snoring. Klaus' hands tangled in the dog's fur, and her puppy's wet nose pressed up against the hybrid's cheek. She smiled softly at her Alpha and her Beta, thinking that if this was as close to a family as she ever got, it would be just fine with her.

* * *

_All that changes is only everything_  
_ When the right one comes along_

* * *

**Feel free to vomit from all the sickly sweetness ;)**


	7. The Parting Glass part 2

**Title**: The Parting Glass Part 2

**Disclaimer**: Everything regarding TO or TVD belongs to the CW

**Summary: Follow up piece to the oneshot where Caroline leaves Klaus in NOLA, since I couldn't just leave Carebear hanging out in the big bad world all on her own.**

* * *

_God that was strange to see you again_ _i__ntroduced by a friend of a friend,  
_Smiled and said yes I think we've met before, a__nd in that instant it started to pour_  
_

* * *

On any other day, the feel of 600-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets brushing across her naked body would feel divine. She'd probably arch her back, sink into the pillows, and just luxuriate in the utter softness enveloping her bare skin.

Today however, it grated against each and every pore, and she could not stand the touch of it. Her nakedness was not luxurious, it was terrifying.

Caroline's hazy eyes desperately searched the room around her for something to help her out of this mess. An open window. A weapon. Anything.

It was pointless. She'd been here a grand total of three days and they'd never been stupid enough to give her that kind of advantage before. Why would they now?

Boston had been a perfect city in her opinion, up until this week. She'd spent far longer here than anywhere else since leaving New Orleans, and there was something about the rough accents and sharp weather that felt so beautifully foreign to her.

Her days were spent shopping, sightseeing, and generally parading around town with nothing to do and nowhere to be. Well, except for her weekly visits to the American Red Cross clinic of course. Maybe it was her boredom that had done her in? More than likely though, it was that damn do-gooder nature of hers that she couldn't shake, even a century after her human days were behind her.

It had started with just a stupid rumor.

A vampire who knew a vampire who knew a vampire, etcetera. But even a rumor about a man who hoarded human girls as feeding fucktoys was enough to get her blood up. Some things you just never let go of, and being a compelled sex slave was one of them. Caroline had done her research. She'd dug through hearsay, gossip, and outright lies until she'd found the man she was looking for. The _vampire_ she was looking for, as it turned out.

Oliver Tenneth. The monster who made even Damon Salvatore look like a saint.

When she'd heard the conditions these girls were living in, she had nearly lost her damn mind. Which was going to be her excuse when anyone asked her why she thought staging a rescue mission all on her own with no weapons, backup, or Plan B was a great idea. Lost her damn mind.

She'd almost gotten away with it before the prick of a vervain injection had turned her world dark.

And then she'd woken up in this room. Groggy, helpless, and locked in. Her only visitors were the compelled humans who brought her blood and the utter monster of a man who'd taken her in the first place. He wasn't stupid enough to try to turn her into one the girls he offered on his menu, being a vampire and all. Instead he called her his 'collectible'. Like she was some baseball card or trophy for him to tote around.

_"You're too beautiful to go to waste, sweet one," he'd whispered in her ear that first day, making her cringe. _

She could only thank whatever god above that was looking out for her that he'd been too busy cleaning up her mess (she'd done quite a bit of structural damage during her break in) to pay her much attention the past few days. Human and vampire deaths were a pain to clean up if you had to deal with them by the dozen.

Unfortunately, her chances of escape had been seriously inhibited by the hourly injections of vervain his compelled staff never seemed to forget to give her. She spent most of her time unconscious or nauseous. Not the worst of her kidnappings for sure, but something told her that was about to change.

Looking down at her naked body, she reassessed. That was definitely about to change. The staff had come in an hour ago, undressed her, shot her up with another lovely dose, and then informed her that Oliver was going to be keeping her company tonight.

Fuck.

The shakes had set in after the first five minutes. The tears had followed soon after. And then the blinding rage and violence had washed through her, filling her up and launching her around the room as best as she could stay balanced with all the vervain in her system. Falling back into the bed had been her only defense when she heard heavy footfalls coming back down the hallway outside.

This was it. She was going to be used and violated again. How had this happened? What had she done to deserve this? She was a good person, dammit. Why?

The door clicked open and a man came through. Oliver.

Her fear was cut short when she realized that he hadn't walked through the door. He'd fallen. Fallen in the way that a person falls when they've been mercilessly chucked 20 feet in the air. She watched him scramble across the rug, away from whatever had thrown him to the ground, and some hidden part of her flared with satisfaction, watching him crawl.

"I swear, I didn't know," Oliver pleaded, face-down in the carpet and begging.

"Well, your ignorance isn't so much the issue here, is it?"

Caroline eyes slid shut. In annoyance or relief, she couldn't really tell. The crisp voice that floated in from the hallway was laced with cockiness and anger, and it was one that she would have been able to place anywhere. Klaus.

"Never mind the fact that you've managed to make sex trafficking even more grotesque with that little assembly downstairs," Klaus finally sauntered through the door, grabbing Oliver by the collar and getting in his face, "But then you imprison the woman I've spent the last century keeping safe, with the intent to do god knows what to her? To the woman_ I_ love? You have a powerful death wish, friend."

"Please, I didn't mean to..." Oliver kept begging, but it was no use. Klaus had death in his eyes, and no one was going to keep him from doling out his punishment.

"Klaus," Caroline swayed heavily on the bed, not quite believing that her former lover was actually here.

"I'll get to you in a moment, sweetheart," Klaus assured her and then tossed her a blood bag that he pulled from his jacket. "Drink up, we'll need you vertical soon enough."

Caroline tore in the bag eagerly, not even bothering to make a juice box out of it. Blood had been doled out to her in the smallest of portions during her stay, and an entire bag seemed like a five course banquet right now. The pounding hunger and easing burn in her throat took up most her attention, but she vaguely heard Oliver's screams from a few feet away as Klaus did unspeakable things to him. At one point she was pretty sure she heard the distant squish of unmentionables getting ripped off.

When Oliver was nothing more than a heaping mess of blood and limbs, Klaus finally made his way over to her.

"Mhmm-fhanks," she managed to mumble out through the final slurps she took from the blood bag as set the empty plastic aside. "I'm guessing I don't want to know how you figured out I needed help?"

Klaus smiled, taking a seat on the end of the bed. "I haven't been following you, if that's what you assumed."

"Because you'd never do something so underhanded and creepy?" she quirked a suspicious eyebrow at him.

"Me? Never." Klaus joked back. "Elijah was actually the one who tipped me off. Stefan called him when you missed your lunch date this weekend and didn't return any of his calls. He was concerned."

She tried not to react to the way he practically growled the world 'date' or the way his hands fisted in the sheets. Klaus' silly insecurity about her entirely platonic friendship with Stefan was no longer her problem. Hadn't been for over 20 years.

God, had it been that long?

She took a moment to drink in the sight of him. His hair was longer, curling around his ears just the way she liked it. His skin was a bit red, like he'd perhaps spent a bit too much time in the cold outside. His style hadn't changed much, but she did notice that his shirt looked freshly pressed, and his coat and shoes were designer. Something that she would have picked out for him when they'd been together.

"Did you dress up for my rescue, Klaus?" She asked, cocking her head knowingly to the side.

"What?" he responded with a face full of confusion. She almost would have believed the act, but his eyes shifted away from hers and his hands pulling strangely at his jeans, tipping her off. He'd wanted to look his best. "I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Uh huh," she rolled her eyes hard at that one. Typical.

He stood up then and offered his hand out to her. "Time to go, I think. Can't imagine you'd want to spend much longer inside these four walls, and I've got a city to run after all."

Caroline didn't reach for his hand though. She just clutched the sheets tighter around her naked body.

"Turn around," she ordered.

It was Klaus' turn to roll his eyes. "Nothing I haven't seen many, many times before, Caroline."

She tried not to let him hear the very shaky breath she let out at the sound of her name on his tongue. She shouldn't be feeling even a hint of arousal with what had almost just happened to her. But the combination of his eyes on her nearly naked form, his husky voice that she hadn't heard in so so long... Yep, it had definitely been _way_ too long.

"Yeah, well you don't get to look anymore," she responded firmly. "That's what happens when two people break up, if you didn't know."

"Break up," Klaus scoffs, like the words are completely meaningless to him.

"Yes, a break-up. When two people stop seeing each other and sleeping with each other and don't talk for twenty years? It's called a break-up. So yeah, turn around or we're just going to keep sitting here until more of Oliver's goons show up."

He folded his arms across his chest in aggravation, but turned around nonetheless.

She sidled over to the pile of clothes laying out on the chaise across the room, careful to keep a close eye on Klaus' wandering gaze. She didn't actually think he'd look, but you never could be too sure with someone like him. He was deadly serious one minute, and hopelessly mischievous the next.

"Ok, you can turn back around," she told him when she was finally covered. "Did you make a mess downstairs, or have you actually learned to restrain yourself since I've been gone?"

He lost a bit of his light hearted attitude at the mention of her absence, but he led the way out nonetheless. "Elijah is taking care of the clean up for us, and I came straight for you. Anyone caught in my way was simply collateral damage."

"So basically, I should be glad I'm not wearing good shoes."

"Basically."

And wasn't that the truth. The foyer looked like a slasher movie had taken place, blood and hearts laying in every corner, bodies heaped up on top of each other. Caroline considered it a miracle that she made it to the door without gagging. Gratuitous violence had never really been her thing.

Stopping just short of the doors, Caroline pulled on Klaus' hand to get him to stop. "What about the girls? Did you..." She didn't finish the sentence but he seemed to know what she was asking. "No, they're quite alive. I told you, Elijah is taking care of the clean up. That includes this messy trafficking business."

She let out a sigh of relief. If there was one Original she'd trust most with the handling of Oliver's victims, it would be Elijah. The man was noble to a fault when it came to things like this, and he would see to it that the women were well taken care of. After a bit of compulsion and a trip to the hospital, she'd bet none of them would even remember a single horror of their captivity beyond a few strange nightmares. Lucky girls.

"Well then, let's go get something to eat. That blood bag was great and all, but I'm starving," she said, finally opening the front door to her freedom.

Klaus looked at her strangely, like perhaps he'd figured she would bolt the second she was out there. It wasn't exactly out of the realm of possibility. She'd spent the last two decades staying well away from the man who'd given her more joy and pain than she could possibly imagine. She should probably run for the hills before it was too late. But old habits die hard, and just standing in the same room with him was making her realize that the ever present physical ache in her chest had been entirely a product of missing him. Made obvious by the fact that seeing him had diminished it entirely. She actually felt like she could fly right now, exchanging their usual witty banter and heated stares.

She offered her hand out for him to take. "You coming or what?"

He didn't need to be told twice, grabbing her hand firmly and smiling like he'd just won the lottery. "I do know a few good places in town to grab a burger. Though none of them serve milkshakes, so you'll have to eat your fries like a normal human being for once."

"What is your think about the fries in the milkshakes? It's delicious, and if you'd just try it..."

They bickered the whole way there, debating the finer points of ketchup versus chocolate and pickles versus tomatoes. The issues that had driven them apart all those years ago were still there. They'd likely drive them apart again. And then again. But for now, they let the long overdue reunion fill the spaces left between. The beauty of eternity was that it would all still be there tomorrow.

* * *

_There's one thing I want to say so I'll be brave, you were what I wanted I gave what I gave,  
I'm not sorry I met you, I'm not sorry it's over, I'm not sorry there's nothing to say_

* * *

**I can't decide if this was fluffy or just left of tragic. Eh, writing is weird.**


	8. For The Dancing And The Dreaming

**Title**: For The Dancing and The Dreaming

**Summary**: This is a companion to Sinners Like Us. Kind of like an epilogue to the epilogue because Melissa couldn't leave well enough alone and made me start thinking, and thinking leads to writing, and then it's all a mess. It's not necessary to read Sinners to understand this one, but I'd recommend it just because I spent 6 months writing that monster, and who doesn't want their hard work appreciated?

**Disclaimer**: Anything relating to TO or TVD belongs to the CW

* * *

_I'll swim and sail on savage seas_, _with ne'er a fear of drowning_  
_And gladly ride the waves of life_, _If you will marry me_

* * *

The sound of something very expensive breaking downstairs was the first sign that Klaus was home.

Normally, the house on the edge of town she shared with the love of her life was a peaceful escape from the craziness of the city. A tranquil retreat from the toss and turn of the French Quarter and all the supernatural citizens that resided there. The plantation house was more of a mansion than anything, but aside from the occasional party that Caroline indulged herself in, the property was quiet enough to make her think she was still living in rural Virginia.

Not today though.

After another resounding smash - _that_ sounded like her mahogany writing table and oh, it was brand new - Caroline decided maybe it was time to face the music.

Putting on her bravest face, she made her way out onto the second floor landing, peering down the stairs into the decimated entryway. There was no sign of her Original Hybrid, so Caroline tiptoed further towards the bannister, leaning over the edge to check if the coast was clear. Perhaps he'd thrown his tantrum and then left out the back?

"Now, why does that look like the face of a guilty woman?" Klaus' voice sounded behind her.

She jumped. She couldn't help it.

"What?" she asked as innocently as she could, finally turning around to face him. The anger she saw there was startling. It took very little to get Klaus this worked up, everyone knew, but it took quite a lot to get him this worked up _at_ _her. _The only times she could recall him being so upset with her was that one time with the phantom white oak stake in his back, and even then he'd tried to keep himself carefully controlled. Now, he looked like he was seconds away from tossing her right over the edge of the bannister. "Why would I look guilty?"

"Don't play games with me, Caroline." he warned her darkly. "Tell me what you asked Davina to do, and tell me now."

"I didn't..." Caroline lost her nerve right in the middle of the lie. He knew. She knew he knew. There was no hiding her little white lie now, especially if the consequences had worked him up this much. "It was harmless, I swear. I don't even know how or why you would have found out-"

"I found out," Klaus cut her off, yelling in her face, "Because you asked a witch to perform illegal magic on a vampire! WHAT were you thinking Caroline?!"

"Okay, when you put it like that, it sounds really bad..."

"How else is there to put it? You don't even deny it!" Klaus grabbed hold of her, and she could see the stirring of that elusive madness in his eyes. The 1000-year-old kind that stirred up at the slightest hint of deception or betrayal. Even after all this time, he was still as paranoid as ever. Even around her. When his grip got too tight, Caroline decided that was enough. She gave him a little push to get him out of her face, but not enough to incite any violence.

"You need to calm the fuck down, Klaus. I'm not one of your little minions that you can bark orders at and manhandle, no matter how pissed you are."

For a moment, he looked like he was going to argue again, but then he took in a deep, calming breath and stepped away from her. He released the air as a heated growl, but it was progress for now.

"Explain." he demanded.

And this was the part where Caroline lost her nerve. She bit her lip, trying to think of the best possible way to frame this. She was Miss Mystic Falls, head cheerleader, and pony enthusiast extraordinaire. She could find a way to put a positive spin on this thing. Right? "It was just supposed to be a little push in the right direction," she explained, careful to keep her voice light and positive. The key to making anything seems less terrible than it actually was, was believing it yourself. "Nothing major, nothing violent. A gentle nudge, really."

"A gentle nudge?" Klaus shook his head, his frown deepening. "A did you perhaps think that a gentle nudge in the hands of an incredibly powerful Harvest witch might end up being a bit overkill?"

Shit. No, she hadn't. Davina was a master of magic these days, she'd figured the girl could handle it. Ten years of wielding Harvest powers had put the girl squarely in the driver's seat of her own abilities. Her mistakes were few and far between. Though Caroline did have to admit when there was an error... it was bad. Like Godzilla loose in Tokyo bad.

"She was supposed to be subtle."

"And subtle she was, but that doesn't matter much when you're messing with the free will of a vampire who's had extensive dealings with witchcraft longer than the two of you have been alive!" Klaus was at least _trying_ to keep a tight control on his rage, but the yelling couldn't be helped. "And worse, Davina attempted to work this little spell of yours during negotiations, in front of no less than six other witches. That idiot girl!"

"Uh oh," Caroline couldn't help the phrase from slipping out. How could Davina have been that reckless?

"Uh oh, indeed. Now I have an entire group of coven leaders that are looking to Davina as their example. Apparently it's completely acceptable these days for witches to practice magic on vampires. Damn it all, Caroline!" he clenched his fists and began to pace quickly back and forth to vent out his frustration.

"Don't, 'damn it all, Caroline' me! This isn't my fault!" she screamed.

Klaus turned around quickly, looking at her like she'd grown two heads. "Are you living on an entirely different planet? This is one hundred percent your fault!"

Okay, that was fair. But every now and then, shouting at the top of your lungs that something is not your fault can actually convince your significant other to at least take a beat and consider that you might not be totally to blame. And that beat was where Caroline thrived.

If Klaus had been even a smidge less angry with her, she could have riled him up to the point where this little fight of theirs ended in some incredibly acrobatic sex rather than slammed doors and broken mirrors. Hell, on occasion she'd been known to start a small round of bickering with her lover for the sole purpose of getting to the finale of ripped clothes and bite marks.

This time though, she didn't expect they'd be rolling around the sheets.

Klaus was actually angry enough that she might not be seeing him in their bedroom for quite some time. He was pouter, her hybrid.

Caroline approached him cautiously, reaching out and tentatively brushing a hand down his back. Encouraged when he didn't immediately shrug her off, she attempted to talk him down. "We can still fix this. Davina can make a public apology, she can blame it on me for all I care."

"You bet your arse she's making a public apology. I just don't understand, Caroline. What did you hope to achieve with all this? What was your motive?"

"Motive," Caroline scoffed. "Like I committed murder. Please."

"You may as well have. If all parties involved choose not to keep their mouths shut, this could very well spark the war that I've been try to avoid for years." Klaus sank down onto the nearest couch and Caroline went with him. The fight was seeping out of him as he started to deal with the consequences of her actions, and Caroline felt even guiltier knowing the scope of the mess she'd made.

"God, I feel so stupid," Caroline pressed her face into his shoulder, "and selfish, and... what can I do? Please let me help?"

"You can help by telling me where this came from." Klaus sighed, wrapping an arm around to show that all was not forgiven, but at least no permanent damage had been done between them. The city however... "Why did you go to Davina in the first place?"

She'd rather stake herself than suffer the embarrassment of admitting her reasoning. But if it would help keep the city in check, she'd admit it readily.

She started at the easiest place. The beginning.

* * *

Klaus' entourage of ancient and powerful vampires had turned out to be some of the most interesting and wonderful friends Caroline had ever made. While a few of them started out cold, eventually they all were enamored with her youth and vitality, much like Klaus had been when he'd first met her, and they'd warmed up. She in turn was enthralled by their stories and the utter wealth of experience they had to share.

Peter, a relatively young vampire compared to the rest - with only 150 years under his belt - was a fast friend. They could often be found hitting the town together, and he'd gotten her absolutely hooked on his own special brand of Irish whiskey. He reminded her a lot of what she assumed Stefan would have been like without the tortured soul and Ripper drama. Understanding and compassionate, but wild and ready for adventure. Another common companion of theirs on these late night excursions was Anya, a witch-turned-vampire, who Caroline suspected had a thing for Elijah. Together, the three of them would paint the town red from sundown to sunup.

Some of the others she wasn't as close with, but they were still friendly enough.

Layla took her to the ballet. Jean had given her that one cooking lesson. Victor recommended books she might like.

Caroline could see how delighted Klaus was that she'd made such easy friends among his companions. He hid it well, but occasionally she'd catch him watching her among these vampires with pride and love in his eyes. His queen and her court.

All of them were unique and strange, but Caroline found herself agreeable to nearly every member of Klaus' little group.

Except one.

Her name was Loreley. And Caroline wanted her dead.

Okay, not dead, that was a little harsh. She was a perfectly... decent woman. Confident and eloquent, but fierce and alluring at the same time. Her long legs, lightly tanned skin, and dark wavy hair grabbed anyone's attention right off the bat. And then she'd open her mouth and say something delightfully amusing in that ambiguous accent of hers. She was the kind of person who could calm a rioting crowd or persuade a reluctant ally. Just the type of vampire that Caroline herself aspired to be in these very dangerous times, when presenting a strong public image was a better insurance policy than any magic could buy. Loreley's take-charge attitude and easy charisma were very important assets to Klaus, as he kept the supernatural city under his thumb.

He currently had her managing the very sudden influx of witches into the city, returning to the home of so much ancestral magic, and she was handling is masterfully.

Under different circumstances, Caroline would have tolerated her just fine.

But circumstances were not different, and Loreley needed to go.

You see, it hadn't taken Caroline very long to figure out exactly what Loreley was here for. Just one afternoon spent in the leggy brunette's presence, and it was clear as day that the woman was loyal to Klaus not because of her belief in his ability to rule, but because of her eternal devotion to him.

The dreamy looks and fawning gestures were hard enough to ignore, but sometimes the woman didn't even try to hide her attempts to seduce him. A bitten lip here and hooded eyes there. A not so subtle touch on the shoulder or a ruffle of the hybrid's hair. Caroline wanted to rip her perfectly manicured hand from her perfectly proportioned body. How dare she? How dare she act like Caroline didn't even exist when it was clear to everyone else in the entire goddamn city that Klaus was spoken for.

That was the territorial nature of vampires though. It was all she could do to keep from baring her fangs whenever Loreley and she were in the same room together.

What was worse was the fact that Klaus seemed completely ignorant of the behavior. He let it happen like it was nothing.

She'd been under the impression that Klaus declaration to wait "however long it takes" all those years ago would mean that he'd drop any other girl like a bad habit when she decided to show up. Call her cocky, but she knew it was the truth. So why did he let the flirting go on, if he'd so obviously dumped Loreley the moment she'd arrived? It had taken several broken glasses from clenching her fists so tight before she'd ponied up and asked around about what the hell was going on between the two. Peter was no help. All she'd gotten was a _"leave it alone, dearie" _before another shot of something was pushed into her hands. Anya had practically panicked and suggested they could ask Elijah together, as he'd have more insight. Maybe over a dinner? For three of course.

Finally, she'd gone hat in hand to Rebekah, who'd cleared things up in the bitchiest way possible. As usual.

"Oh, Nik and Loreley weren't sleeping together before you got here," the blonde Original explained, laughing like it was the most amusing suggestion in the world. "No, I don't think they've taken a turn together since oh... 1885? or '86? Hard to keep track. That lasted about a decade, and before that it was the Paris for thirty years or so during the reign of King Louis- well one them. There was Rome during the reformation, but that was barely five or six years before she chased him off, and... oh I'll never remember them all. Very on-again off-again those two."

Caroline sat in stunned silence, soaking in the truth of their relationship. It was ten times worse than she'd imagined. Twenty times.

"So he- he turned her how long ago?" she asked, trying to keep her voice even.

"I think it was one of Elijah's progenies that turned her actually," Rebekah answered thoughtfully. "We met her after the fact, somewhere in Germany. Late 13th century, I think? We'd heard stories of a beautiful siren who sang from the rocks of the Rhine, luring sailors to their deaths. I'd wanted to meet a real live mermaid, but it turns out she was just your everyday vampire, sinking ships and sucking sailors dry. I was disappointed, but Nik was intrigued."

Their behavior made perfect sense now. It wasn't the dance of two people skirting around a secret romance. It was the perfect rhythm of lovers so attuned to each other, so acquainted with one another's presence, that interactions passed between them easy as life. This wasn't some fling that Klaus was reluctant to shake off, or some home-wrecker trying to take a shot at an Original. This was a woman who'd been through the ages with him. They'd had trysts that had lasted thirty years... over and over again. Caroline felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. Here she was imagining her next thousand years by Klaus' side, when that seat was apparently already taken.

"13th century? That's..."

"Seven hundred years, give or take. Very good, Caroline, we all knew you'd get a hang of the math thing one day or another!"

Seven hundred years. They'd known each other for seven hundred years. What was her mere decade compared to that? And most of that decade had been spent away from Klaus at that. If you paired up all the weeks and days they'd actually been in the same city, she wasn't even sure you'd get two whole years. Let alone seven hundred. Centuries of sex and blood and breakups and makeups.

"I... I didn't know that he..." she hadn't managed to string two coherent sentences together for quite a while before Rebekah took pity on her.

"Oh calm down, it's not like they were ever serious."

"Never serious?" Caroline nearly sobbed. "They spent the better part of a millennium together, how is that not serious?"

Rebekah took hold of her hand, realizing for the first time that she'd maybe taken it too far. Her intention had been to rile Caroline up, not to tear her down. "You know Nik, Caroline. It was never about love or affection, or even intimacy. It was about power and give-and-take and a little bit of hero worship. She adored him, and he adored the adoration. It's different with you. You must see that?"

Caroline nodded pathetically, not really believing it for one minute.

She'd never had reason to doubt Klaus' love or devotion before. It had been a constant in her life, like the sun or the stars. It would just simply exist always, tried and true. But now? How was she supposed to reconcile this timeless love affair he'd been having with Loreley - ugh had there ever been a more awful name? Loreley. It was a stripper name, if she'd ever heard one - with the eternal love he'd promised her. She couldn't judge him on past relationships, she'd had them too and she'd never exactly thought he was a monk before her. But this was... different somehow.

It was too close to love. Too close to commitment. Whatever Rebekah said.

She'd let that uncertainty and bitterness fester for well over a month, keeping silent about the whole thing. Talking to Klaus about her doubts and insecurities would have been the sensible thing to do of course, but sensible was never her forte when it came to matters of love. Plus, the only thing more mortifying than admitting her jealousy to herself was admitting it to Klaus. No thank you.

So she watched them.

Watched the lingering touches and the knowing smirks. The playful barbs and the 'remember that one time's' that passed so easily between them.

It made her sick. Physically ill.

So after one too many glasses of wine with Davina one night, they'd made the decision. A quick spell to plant the suggestion in Loreley's mind that perhaps New Orleans wasn't the place for her. Italy was lovely this time of year. No muss, no fuss, and everyone went home happy. It was supposed to be harmless. Loreley was useful, but not integral to ruling the city, and she was stepping on Caroline's toes anyway when it came to jobs that should be handled by a queen. With any luck, she'd never even notice that the idea hadn't come directly from her own head.

And then Davina had gone and decided to use willowroot instead of mandrake, and the whole thing had become very heavy-handed and obvious to a vampire who'd apparently spent a solid three centuries studying the ins and outs of witchcraft.

And now, Caroline was alone in bed, wishing she'd never hatched up the scheme in the first place.

Klaus had spent the better part of the afternoon explaining the situation to the witches who'd witnessed the 'attack', and Caroline was happy to trade her humiliation for her friend's life. Killing Davina over a silly domestic dispute would have been unfair, but Klaus wanted to make sure the other coven leaders knew she was not getting off easy and such behavior was inexcusable. Whatever punishment he cooked up would have Caroline feeling guilty for months, she was sure.

Feeling the mattress dip down beside her, she couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised that Klaus was actually joining her in bed.

"I didn't think you'd be able to even look at me tonight, much less snuggle," she admitted as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back to his front.

"I'm a forgiving man," Klaus pressed a soft kiss to her neck.

"Ha," she barked out a laugh that wasn't really a laugh. It was too hollow and laced with the disappointment she had in herself.

Klaus sighed, running a comforting hand through her hair. "The situation is as handled as it can be, and I think we've avoided the crisis for now. There will be new drama to deal with tomorrow. Let's worry about that instead, hmm?"

"And Loreley?" Caroline was almost afraid to ask.

"She's... understandably upset."

"I don't care how she feels, I care if she'd going to come murder me in my sleep." Caroline was only half joking. You don't mess with an ancient vampire's free will and walk away with a slap on the wrist. They hadn't exactly been friends before, but they were certainly enemies now.

"She wouldn't dare," Klaus growled playfully and pulled her closer, nipping at her neck.

She could tell he was only trying to smooth things over and cheer her up - and how much more awful did that make her feel that he was worrying over her when she was the one at fault through all of this?

"I think it's time for me to go back to school, Klaus."

His whole body froze up behind her, and wow, okay she hadn't expected him to react that badly, but still.

"What?" his voice was barely a whisper behind her.

"I'd always meant to go back and finish college," she explained, hoping to find the right words. "I mean, wandering around Europe with Bekah was great and exactly what I needed, but now that I'm not hopping from city to city, I've realized how much I miss having a schedule and projects and a life of my own. I can't help but think that all of this happened in the first place because of a mix of boredom and jealousy - you know what they say about idle hands after all and- Klaus what are you doing?"

She barely had time to adjust as he flipped her over and looked her directly in the eyes. The panic she saw in his was overwhelming. He looked terrified.

"She's gone, Caroline. Say the word, and Loreley will be out of the city within the hour, I promise. She's nothing I can't lose, but you.." his voice was shaking and she could almost feel the trembling in his hands to match. The hands that had gripped her tight from the moment she'd said college, like any minute she was going to disappear into thin air. "Don't leave, Caroline."

She realized what had him spooked almost instantly.

"Oh no," Caroline grabbed onto him, pulling herself impossibly closer, "I didn't mean back to Whitmore, back to college. God no, I meant Tulane maybe or Loyola. LSU if I'm feeling really ambitious about the commute. I meant somewhere here, Klaus. This is my home. With you. I'm not going anywhere," her reassurance seemed to ease a bit of the tension out of him and his death grip on her hips relaxed.

One or two deep breaths later, he nodded his head, "Right. Of course."

She leaned up to fuse her lips to his, knowing that he needed to feel her now more than ever. A few brushes of her tongue against his and he was back to normal, pinning her underneath him and settling into that spot between her legs that made her arch up against him. She stopped them before he got any real traction, knowing that their conversation wasn't over.

"I'm sorry," she said as she nuzzled her nose gently against his. "I don't think I said it before, but I am. I'm sorry for putting you in that position."

"It won't be the last mistake either of us makes, love. But let's try to implement more of that open communication I hear is so important in relationships, all right?" he went easy on the admonishments but she knew it was still too early for forgiveness. She just nodded her head and pulled him closer. "Now tell me more about these plans for university. What sparked that idea?"

Caroline smiled, shrugging a bit. "Well, it was always in the plans, I just thought it might be time. If I learned anything from this mess, it's that ruling over a city might be a bit out of my reach right now. But it did help me decided on my major!"

He grinned at her enthusiastic response. "Let's hear it."

"Okay technically it's a double major."

"Of course, I'd expect no less from a perpetual over-achiever." Klaus joked.

"I've decided..." she paused for dramatic effect and giggled when Klaus poked her in the sides to spur her on. "On political science and public relations. Both very important subjects for managing an empire, wouldn't you say?"

"Very important," he agreed, slipping down to trail kisses down her chest and stomach. "I hear Tulane has a wonderful political science department."

She gasped a bit when he bit down near her hip. "And how convenient that it's only five miles from the French Quarter, right?"

"Is it?" he feigned ignorance. "I hadn't noticed."

"Mmmhmmm..." she rolled her eyes and let him continue, relishing the way he seemed to want to taste every inch of her.

There was only one more thing lingering in Caroline's mind, and she was reluctant to bring it up now that they'd seemed to move past the issue. But letting things fester had been their downfall the first time around, and she wouldn't drop this just because it was easier to ignore it. Grabbing onto his hair, she tugged him up to look at her, laughing at his grunt of dissatisfaction.

"Would you really send Loreley away?" she asked hesitantly, careful not to sound too eager or accusatory.

He frowned but propped himself up to face her fully. "Would that make you happy?"

"Yes," Caroline looked down guiltily. "Would it also make me a vindictive bitch?"

"Maybe," he laughed at her look of outrage. "You asked, sweetheart. But if keeping her here is going to cause any more problems like today, then it's not worth it. She'll be gone by tomorrow. I promise."

It was very _very_ hard to keep the exuberant smile off her face as the knowledge that she was going to have a Loreley free future sank in.

One day they were going to have to have a real talk about the exact details of his relationship with the accused siren, and it was going to be in-depth and painful. She would probably hear and learn things she absolutely did not want to know. But as always, one day was a problem for tomorrow, and the issue had been exhausted for tonight. Caroline thanked him for his compromise in the best way she knew how.

"So... makeup sex?" she smiled mischievously up at him.

"Like you wouldn't believe," his lips dove right for her neck as he roughly reached down and sank a hand between her legs.

The peace and quiet of their lovely country home was interrupted quite frequently and quite loudly that evening. Moans and groans and few desperate screams broke the air every few hours, accompanied by the occasional crash of furniture or a wall imploding. _It was a good thing they didn't have neighbors,_ Caroline thought for not the first time as she and Klaus made love well into the night.

But then again, maybe Loreley would swing by to vent her anger, and she'd get to hear first hand how happy and _utterly taken _Klaus was.

Probably not, but a girl could dream.

* * *

_My dearest one, my darling dear,_ _your mighty words astound me._  
_But I've no need of mighty deeds_, _when I feel your arms around me_

* * *

**So, probably not the companion piece you were expecting for Sinners, but it sort of melded with a piece I'd had spinning around my head for a few months. **

**Caroline is still in her late 20s (pushing 30) and therefore is allowed to make silly, jealous mistakes. More importantly, Klaus has built an empire and as awesome as Caroline is, she never even finished college and ruling over a city seems to be a bit outside her purview, at least for now. I always loved the idea of Caroline diving back into the academic world, and this way she can do it with the intention of staying in NOLA and using her education to help Klaus keep his kingdom in order.**

**Kudos to those who catch the GoT and Gilmore Girls references...**


	9. Ghosts Part 2

**Title**: Ghosts Part 2

**Disclaimer**: Anything TO or TVD related belongs to the CW

**Summary: A follow up to Ghosts, after Caroline gets resurrected through Bonnie. No one gets stuck in limbo or whatever, and they all live happily ever whatever.**

* * *

_I will rest till it's over, gone until summer calls,_  
_ and when I wake, sincerely hope it's you_

* * *

The tapping of his foot against the blood soaked stone floor echoed louder and louder around the open courtyard of his New Orleans home. It was persistent and impatient and so very fitting for the predicament he found himself in.

This courtyard had been a battleground earlier tonight, where Marcel's merry band of misfits had fought and fallen to power of the Originals. It was laughable really, that they'd believed themselves capable of taking on two brothers when they hadn't stood a chance against one. But that was what happened when you combined a few dozen seriously low IQs with delusions of grandeur he supposed.

When Klaus had returned from his fruitless hunt for Marcel, the bodies had already been disposed of and the few prisoners Elijah had taken were rotting in the basement. Quite literally if the smell was any indication…

Rather than help his brother sort through them though, Klaus had taken up residence in this chair, staring down at his phone and willing it to ring.

Two hours later he was still there. Tapping and waiting, tapping and waiting.

For the fifth time, his willpower failed him, and he pressed the redial button.

_"Hi you've reached Caroline Forbes, and I'm too busy being fabulous to take your call right now. Leave me a-"_

He ended the call and resisted the urge to smash his phone against the nearest wall. This phone held the only number she had for him, and he'd be damned if he cut off that avenue of communication between them. No matter how frustrated he was.

The call should have come by now. It should have come an hour ago. How bloody complicated was it to perform a massacre, channel that energy into dark resurrection magic, and bring back half a dozen people from the Other Side? Well... when you put it like that it sounded a might more complex than a trip to the corner store, but still. Two hours was too long. Something had gone wrong, he knew it. And all Klaus could do was sit here and wait for the news that Caroline was never coming back to him. That she was lost forever, and he'd foolishly missed out on his chance because he'd been too busy tapping his foot away down in New Orleans.

"Niklaus," Elijah's voice interrupted his frantic nothingness. "As productive as it is to watch you sit there staring at your phone, if you remember, there are a few pressing matters to address-"

"Not now," Klaus silenced him angrily.

Too full of impatient energy to stay seated any longer, Klaus got up to pace instead. From one wall to the next, he went back and forth, checking his phone after every circuit, though he knew well enough he'd find the same blank screen as before. While his feet were busy with their pacing, his head was busy spinning with possibilities.

She'd been so certain that the mess of a plan the Mystic Idiots had concocted was going to work. She'd been sure. Flippant actually.

Fine, so Josh had been the one to convey her flippancy, but from the second-hand account, Caroline had seemed confidant. Maybe that was the problem. Josh had misinterpreted. He'd skin the boy alive, that was what he would do…

"What's gotten into you?" Elijah's question broke through the haze.

He glanced up to see his brother's troubled expression staring back at him. He always was a worry-wart. "Nothing that concerns you, Elijah."

"It concerns me that you're acting like you've gone insane. That is definitely… concerning."

Klaus didn't bother to answer him. The pacing was not helping. Perhaps he'd book a flight back to Virginia and check on the lot of them just in case? There was surely a red-eye left, and if not then he'd compel a private plane to take him. Easy enough. He could make it by sunrise if he was quick about it. Elijah's hand on his arm stopped him as he was halfway out the door.

"Tell me what's wrong, brother. I will do everything in my power to help, as always, I promise you. But you _must _tell me what has you so rattled."

A deep breath did nothing to calm him, but it was worth a shot. Klaus was on the verge of snapping his brother's neck – that or breaking down and telling him the whole awful ordeal – when a shrill ringing interrupted their fierce staring match.

They both looked down to the phone in his hand, which only stayed there a minute before being quickly pressed to his ear.

"Caroline?" he asked urgently, hoping against hope that he'd hear her voice on the other end.

"Sorry to disappoint," Stefan Salvatore's voice came over the line.

His heart clenched painfully. So this was it. Stefan had been the one elected to break the news to him, perhaps hoping that he'd be reluctant to murder his old friend in a 'shoot the messenger' scenario due to some misplaced nostalgia. Klaus almost hung up right away. Better to not have to hear the words, especially in front of Elijah. His brother was staring at him with something akin to wonder in his eyes. There was no doubt a veritable sea of emotion crossing the hybrid's face at the moment, but he couldn't pull himself out of the misery long enough to care.

Klaus took a deep breath and gritted his teeth against the pain. "She's dead then?"

"Caroline's fine Klaus," Stefan refuted quickly, probably hoping to delay mass destruction. "She just wanted me to let you know."

Klaus released an agonized breath, half relief, half bone-deep frustration. "Put her on the phone," he demanded.

"She's… recovering," Stefan sounded unsure of himself. As if he might be saying the wrong thing.

There was nothing so wearisome in the world as a Salvatore brother denying him the simplest of requests. He'd thought he was done with that particular annoyance when he left Mystic Falls behind for good, but alas it seemed not. Klaus noticed for the first time that Elijah had released him, deciding instead to settle into the nearest chair and observe what was surely a very bizarre phone call for him. Klaus couldn't bring himself to care; not when he was so close to getting the information he'd been desperate for all night.

"Either you put her on the phone, or I get on a plane to Virginia. Your choice Stefan," he growled.

There was a tense moment where he could sense the other vampire's hesitation, before he heard a sigh and a very soft '_I told you so'_ muffled in the background.

"You're impossible, you know that?" Caroline's breathless but beautiful voice finally filled his ears.

Klaus' eyes slid shut as all the tension that had been building in him the last few hours left his body. He stepped backwards and slid down the nearest wall to settle on the floor, leaning his head back and smiling in satisfaction.

"Forgive me for worrying just a bit, sweetheart," he chuckled. "When I didn't receive a call informing me of your return to the land of the living, I admit to panicking a bit. You did promise, Caroline," Klaus didn't even care that he sounded depressingly desperate. The elation soaring through his chest at the knowledge that Caroline was once again safe and alive was worth more than a few hits to his ego.

The sound of wracking coughs were his only answer, and he snapped to attention as they traveled through the phone.

"Caroline?" he didn't like to hear the panic in his own voice, but there it was.

A few more wet splutters and she was back, "Sorry, ugh, worst side effect ever. I'll pay for the dry cleaning Bon, blood comes out easier than you think."

"You're coughing up blood?" Klaus asked, confused. "Is that... normal?"

Caroline's laugh was exhausted and pained, but a comfort nonetheless. "After getting your heart ripped out, traveling to the Other Side, and then coming back via witch massacre? Sure, why not? Totally normal. "

"I'm so happy this is a joking matter for you, love. I, on the other hand, need some reassurance that I shouldn't just get on a plane right now with a competent witch to sort this mess out."

"Hey, Bonnie is plenty competent. She got me back didn't she?" Caroline argued in her friend's favor. "Look, the vampire healing jig is just taking a little longer to get kickstarted I guess. You don't need to get on any planes. _You_ promised, remember?"

Klaus sighed heavily, shaking his head at her persistence. Even in these circumstances, she was going to hold him to some ridiculous pact they both knew he had no intention of keeping. Confession be damned, nothing on earth could keep him out of Mystic Falls if she was ever in this kind of danger again. He had half a mind to take her out of that place right now and move her to some secluded villa in Italy. At least there she wouldn't have to endanger herself on a weekly basis for the sake of her supposed friends. He just rolled his eyes though, deciding to switch tacks instead.

"Mmmm, how could I forget?" he grinned wolfishly, getting a bit of pleasure from his not-so-subtle allusion to their interlude.

"Stop that," Caroline scolded him, but he could hear the smile in her voice. "Gloating and reminiscing were not part of the deal."

Klaus chuckled softly. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about it. I reminisce about that day quite often as a matter of fact, especially the one part when you-"

"Hanging up now!" Caroline's scandalized shout interrupted him.

"Fine, fine, have it your way," he let the topic go. "You will be all right, though?"

She must have heard the genuine concern in voice because she stayed on the line rather than following through with her threat. "If I'm not, you'll be the first to know," she took pity on his frayed nerves, "Goodbye, Klaus."

The small click in his ear let him know that she was gone, and he let out a great gust of air. Caroline was alive. She was recovering from her ordeal in a slightly worrisome way, but she was alive. That was really all that mattered in the grand scheme of things. Klaus sat there for a moment and let his future unfold again before him. He hadn't realized until she was gone how big of a part Caroline played in the potential eternity he had vaguely mapped out. Indeed, in every possible scenario, he could picture her right beside him. It was only a matter of when, not if. Her untimely death had put a definitive wrench into those plans, which he was not comfortable with at all. Even the immortality of a vampire was nothing on that of an Original. He'd have to look into remedying that problem...

Elijah cleared his throat from across the way, and Klaus managed to refocus.

"All is well in Mystic Falls, I take it?" his brother asked, an amused twinkle in his eye.

"Enough, Elijah," Klaus warned, realizing for the first time how surely he'd shown his hand. There could be no doubting his feelings for Caroline Forbes now that they were out on display, in all their wickedly romantic glory.

Elijah just laughed, "Did I say anything?"

Klaus let out a grunt and stood back up from his spot on the floor. He made sure to convey the order of 'keep your mouth shut' as he brushed past Elijah on the way to the basement. "We have prisoners to interrogate, do we not?"

"Whatever you say Niklaus. Whatever you say."

* * *

**I promised a follow up and there you have it. It only took so long because the actual TO finale was a complete and utter muse killer. Really, how on earth does writing THAT terrible make it on network television? Personally, I like my version better haha.**


	10. Breakable

**Title**: Breakable

**Disclaimer**: Anything TO or TVD related belong to the CW

_**Summary: Klaus and Caroline talk about her eventual death. - I've been very morbid lately, and I think it's because the shows are coming back next week. I just kind of want all the characters to get killed off at this point rather than have to watch them be decimated by bad writing yet again.  
**_

* * *

_Have you ever thought about what protects our hearts? __Just a cage of rib bones and other various parts._  
_ So it's fairly simple to cut right through the mess, a__nd to stop the muscle that makes us confess._

* * *

The night that he realized he would one day lose Caroline Forbes was nothing like he'd expected it to be.

It was not after a gruesome fight, or yet another failed kidnapping attempt. It was not after Marcel tried to use her against him, or the wolves made a threat on her life. Those were normal, run of the mill occurrences in their relationship. They brushed them off and moved past them easily enough, never mentioning the key difference between his immortality and hers.

No, the night he'd come to terms with the inescapable fact that the love of his life would one day leave him for good had been a balmy Monday evening in New Orleans, normal as they come.

"I'll never understand why you don't just destroy the damn thing," Caroline teased him as she twirled the White Oak Stake between her hands.

He found it a little surprising that the one weapon in the world that could kill him didn't feel like a weapon at all in her hands. There she sat, reclined in their shared study on a chaise older than she was (which was certainly saying something these days), tossing the piece of wood around like it was a toy. He should have been wary to let anyone but himself even lay a finger on it, but somehow his body just wouldn't register Caroline as a threat. She could have pressed it directly over his heart, and he'd still trust her implicitly. That was what three centuries of loving someone did to you, he guessed.

"There are a dozen witches in this city powerful enough to break the spell keeping it indestructible," she continued. "Why don't you just de-spell it and burn it to a crisp already?"

Klaus rolled his eyes, coming up behind her and making a grab for the stake, "Because the rules of nature will always find a balance, and I like controlling the scales."

"Why is it always riddles with you?" Caroline pouted to have her toy snatched away.

"I'll map it out for you then," he explained. "We burned down the first White Oak Tree only to find that our father had fashioned a stake from it beforehand. Once that stake was destroyed, we discovered a sapling had grown in the last tree's place. After Rebekah burned that bloody bridge to the ground, lo and behold a sign cropped up made of the same wood. When I thought I'd finished those scraps off, my mother found a way to make this stake indestructible. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

"Ah," Caroline caught on, "You don't want to start the cycle over?"

"Exactly," he grinned back at her. Clever girl. "So long as this is the only White Oak in existence, nature has found a balance, and there's no need for meddling. I'd rather stick with the devil I know, than find out some tree has sprouted elsewhere – likely in one of my enemies' bloody backyards. Best not to roll the dice on destroying what I already possess."

Caroline leaned up, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. "My boyfriend is so smart."

He rolled his eyes. "You know I hate that word, Caroline."

"Of course I know," she giggled. "It's why I use it so often."

Klaus swatted her as she danced away from him, grabbing the stake back for herself. She lost her light-hearted air fast enough though, as she rolled it back and forth between her small palms.

"I still don't like that it even exists. That it's so close to you all the time," she admitted quietly.

"Well, I don't like that that chair over there exists either," he moved in close, pointing to a simple wooden stool in the corner. "But I make do. We've all got a weakness, love. The trick is to never let someone turn the weakness into a weapon."

Caroline reached up to stroke his cheek, staring at him in that way that let him know exactly what was on her mind. She was worried. Nervous and edgy. He just couldn't tell why. The possibility of losing him always weighed heavily on her mind. She'd lost nearly everyone that mattered to her over the years; Bonnie, Matt, Tyler, her mother. All of them had fallen eventually, to age or sickness or the supernatural. One by one, she watched as her loved ones died, while she stayed eternal. But this kind of fear was something different. Something deeper. As much as he'd love to believe it was all worry over him, there was something far too… vulnerable about the way she looked now.

Her eyebrows drew together, and she let out a bone deep sigh before pressing her forehead to his chest. Klaus couldn't decide what was wrong with his love, but he wrapped her in his arms nonetheless. It was barely a moment later that she pulled herself out of the embrace with a renewed sense of determination about her.

"You're right. Nature finds a balance eventually, and no one lives forever."

"Caroline, I didn't mean-"

"No, this is good," she cut him off, walking over to her vanity and pulling a small stack of papers out of the bottom drawer. "This is something I should have been brave enough to show you a long time ago."

His curiosity officially piqued, he let her thumb through the stack, picking out what she wanted and discarding the rest. She swallowed sharply and then walked over to hand him this mysterious set of papers. Klaus couldn't help but notice how she nervously twisted the stake in her now empty hands after. He shook his head at her strange behavior, focusing for the first time on the faded document in front of him. It didn't take more than a few seconds of reading to figure out what was in his hands.

In unnecessarily loopy letters, the top of the page was dominated by a single phrase: _Last Will and Testament_.

He sucked in a deep breath. When his eyes skimmed down, sure enough he found Caroline's artfully constructed signature decorating the bottom.

"When did you do this?"

"A few years ago," Caroline answered. At his sharp look, she dropped her gaze guilty. "Sixty-two years ago."

Sixty-two... "Why?"

He hadn't meant for it to come out so breathless. So terrified and confused. But he couldn't understand. He truly couldn't. They were vampires. They would live forever, it was a pretty obvious fact of their existence. She'd weathered the centuries just fine, making it through the dark periods and the light. Caroline had pushed past the morbid despair that most vampires found themselves caught in sometime after they hit their first century mark. It was rather like clockwork actually, but that was the predictability of the human brain for you. He and his siblings had gone through it in the twelfth century, he'd been around to see that Rose girl struggle with the same depression, hell he'd even kept tabs on Stefan during the 1960s when the boy was hitting his first centennial. It was a common affliction for those that lived so long and saw so much. You started to wonder what life was really about. What was the point to it all? What was the point to you?

It passed for everyone as they accepted their fate and their freedom. Caroline had been no different. He'd coached her through her morbid melodrama, and she'd handled it better than most.

Or so he thought.

"We've talked about this love," Klaus took her hand in his, "All vampires gets the urge to wallow in their immortality every now and then, it's completely normal-"

"This isn't wallowing, Klaus," Caroline clarified. "I'm not on suicide watch, I'm just being reasonable. Logical."

Rolling his eyes, Klaus tried not the crumple the papers in his fist. "You're not going to die, sweetheart."

"Yes, I am."

"NO," his denial come out louder than he'd intended, his tone sliding just past firm and into angry. "You're not."

Beautiful creature that she was, Caroline wrapped her arms around his middle, but she leaned back to look him in eye again. "I am, Klaus. One day. Nature finds a balance, just like you said, and one day - maybe months, maybe centuries from now - I'm going to die. And I want to make sure things are taken care of when that happens."

For the first time since she'd been laid out on a living room couch in front of him, his venom coursing through her system, Klaus felt himself contemplate Caroline Forbes' death. The thought of her succumbing to a werewolf bite, or the look on her face as a wooden stake found its way home in her heart... Heaven help the sun scorched earth whenever that day came. He would be a sight to behold, a force to be reckoned with, so powerful would his grief be.

"I'll never let that happen. Never."

"Never is an awfully long time for a vampire," she smiled sadly back up at him.

He grabbed her face between his hands, making sure her eyes stayed locked on his. "Never, Caroline. You never need to fear death because I will _never_ let it find you."

"I'm not scared of death Klaus," she said, tears starting to creep into her eyes. "I'm scared of leaving. I'm scared of being without you, and you being without me. I don't want you to be alone, honey, but I know one day you will be."

"No, I won't hear this-"

"You're immortal, Klaus," Caroline refused to be silenced. "The real deal. Even this might not kill you," she waved the White Oak Stake for emphasis.

Klaus released her and folded his arms across his chest. That was a theory no one had ever been willing to test out. Hybrids were impervious to a wooden stake through the heart. It followed that even the stake that could kill Original vampires wouldn't affect him the same way. It was a possibility he didn't like to dwell on. Even for one who rejoiced in his own indestructibility, it was a truly terrifying thought that _nothing on earth_ could kill him. There was eternity, and then there was Eternity. Never having a way out; that was the definition of a prison. So in his darkest thoughts, he liked to believe that the stake would kill him just as easily as if he were a full-blooded Original. That he wouldn't just wake up however many hours later. Stuck here.

"We don't know anything about that, sweetheart," he tried to reassure her and himself.

Caroline was determined to get through to him though. "No matter what we know or don't know, it's inevitable that one day, I won't be here anymore. And I want you to be prepared for when that day comes. I don't want it to be this dark and twisty thing we never talk about. I want to know you'll be okay… after."

"So that's what this is then?" he shook the papers angrily. "An insurance policy to make sure I do as I'm told when you're... when you're not here?"

The smile she gave him was a sad one, and he could tell she was forcing it to lighten the mood, "What? Did you expect me to stop bossing you around just because I'm dead? You know me better than that."

"Don't," he warned her. "Don't try to turn this into a joke."

"It's not a joke, I'm just..." Caroline breathed deeply and took her Will back from him. "Look, it's not like it's a real legal document or anything. It's hard to will something away when your legal identity died a couple centuries ago. It's just a few things I'd like done in the event that I'm not around to see them happen myself. Okay?"

"I don't like it, Caroline."

She reached up to smooth the angry wrinkled in his forehead away. "Yeah, I'm not exactly jazzed about the idea either, but I wanted you to know that I did this. You don't have to read it now or ever really. Just make sure it gets to the right people if it ever needs to. That's all I want."

Klaus could see the hope in her eyes; the pure belief that he would uphold her wishes. And just like that, the fight went out of him. He could never deny Caroline anything that she truly wanted, no matter how outlandish the request. It's why they had a full stable of horses in the middle of the bloody French Quarter. So even if this request and all it represented scared the living hell out of him, he would see it done.

Slowly taking the papers back from her, he smoothed them out and returned them to her vanity. "As you wish, then."

Her smile was ecstatic, and worth almost every bit of heartbreak the past ten minutes had brought him.

She wasn't dying. Not today, not ever. Let her believe what she wanted about nature and balance and all of it. They'd spend the centuries together, eternal as always, and this small, insignificant stack of papers would fade into obscurity. Something they joked about on her six hundredth birthday.

* * *

For a long while, the awful topic stayed forgotten. It was many years later, after another very close call, when his curiosity got the best of him.

He left Caroline alone in bed, tip-toeing out of their shared master suite. He made sure not to even flip a light switch on for fear of the smallest sound waking her. He wouldn't remind her of the silly document that had stayed shut away all this time. No chance of that. Nevertheless, he made his way through their study, and pulled the thing out of its bottom drawer, where it had been collecting dust.

Skipping to the relevant pages, he found three letters folded up inside. One addressed to Rebekah, one for Stefan, and one for Elijah. The directive at the top of the page was for him though.

_To my amazing boyfriend (you know you love the word, admit it): please make sure the following letters reach the intended recipients. They'll take care of the rest. I love you. Always._

As far as last words go, they were brief and rather bossy, but that was Caroline for you. He couldn't imagine he would take the time to appreciate an elegantly composed letter in the event of her death anyways. He'd probably be too busy tearing the world apart with his grief to appreciate much of anything, and he guessed she'd figured that out on her own. She knew him better than anyone after all.

Klaus resisted the urge to open the letters for all of twenty seconds before he broke the seals on the three notes.

_Rebekah: Stay away from my closet. I'm serious. Even dead, those clothes belong to me, and I'll **know** if you take anything. Please be there for Klaus. I know you two are at each others throats more often than not, but you're his favorite. You know that. He's depended on you for so much for so long, I don't think he knows how to survive without you. And he needs that right now. Take care of him. _

_Stefan: If you and Rebekah are 'off again' then tough luck buddy. You've got one job, and that's making sure Klaus doesn't go off the rails. From one sober coach to another, I'm wishing you a lot of luck. Even if I can't be around to help you through the hiccups, I'm sure I'm watching somewhere, silently judging you. I love you Stef. Thank you for everything._

_Elijah: I know we're not particularly close. You never seemed to like me much, and honestly, I always thought you were kind of a prick. But Klaus loves you. So much more than you know, and so much more than I'm going to tell you because that's something he needs to come to on his own. But I'm asking you this as a literal dying wish. Stay away. No matter how much he loves you and you love him, you two are not good for each other. Not when he's like this. Rebekah will tell you when it's safe to show up, and I trust that you'll give him the space he needs to grieve and pull himself together before you offer your help. I hope one day you two get to a place where this kind of request won't be necessary. Best of luck with the eternity thing. Bye. _

Grinding his teeth together as he finished reading her last words, Klaus carefully folded the letters back up again.

And for the first time in over a dozen centuries, Klaus prayed. He prayed that he would never have to send them.

* * *

_We are so fragile, and our cracking bones make noise,  
And we are just breakable, breakable, breakable girls and boys._

* * *

**It could have been worse. I could have actually killed her like I intended. But even I'm not emotionally stable enough to handle that.**

**I'll just be over here with my haagen das, pretending like these awful shows aren't coming back and the hiatus will last forever.**


	11. More Time

**Title**: More Time

**Disclaimer: **Anything TVD or TO related belongs to the CW

**Summary: **A follow up piece to For the Dancing and the Dreaming, which was a follow up to Sinners Like Us. Basically, I'm never going to be able to shake that fic off. But the anniversary of the first chapter of Sinners was just a few days ago, so I figure this is a nice way to celebrate. And now the return of everyone's favorite (ahahaha) character: Loreley.

* * *

_I promised you the world again, everything within my hands_  
_All the riches one could dream, they will come from me_

* * *

Caroline Forbes had never considered herself a patient woman.

There were about fifteen cheerleaders, four dance committees, and two Mystic Falls mayors who would whole-heartedly agree with her on that point. But in this case, she'd reined herself in and tried to be as charitable as possible. She'd been the one to cause the Loreley situation, so Klaus could handle it however he thought best. Really. She was fine.

At least she had been for the first three days.

Klaus' promise to kick Loreley out of his city to spare her feelings had been touching, to be sure, but his follow through had been slow going. Caroline had waited a full 24 hours, but no news of Loreley's departure had reached her ears. That was fine, patience was a virtue. Then two days had passed. Then three. And her ability to smile and crow like everything was fine began to fade fast.

When she'd questioned her hybrid on it, he'd been evasive as ever.

Eventually though, he'd fessed up that Loreley would be hanging around for just a little bit longer. _Longer her ass._

"I'm sorry, please tell me I'm not hearing this. First you said she'd be gone by the morning, then you said she'd be gone by the weekend. Now you're telling me that she's sticking around for another week? What the hell?" Caroline's shrieking could be heard throughout the stables, and frankly, her high pitched volume was beginning to spook the horses.

Klaus liked to escape out here when he was in trouble, brushing out the animals' coats and pampering his little thoroughbreds beyond belief. He knew Caroline loved the horses almost as much as he did, and she was easily distracted from her anger by a soft whinny or and adorable snuffle. It was usually a solid tactic on his part, but not this time. Caroline had cornered him into a stall after she heard the news, giving him nowhere to escape to.

"I know I caused this mess," Caroline tried to keep her voice low, "But you said you'd send her away."

"It's not as simple as all that, love." Klaus attempted to soothe her, but he hadn't made progress so far, and he certainly wasn't going to make any now. "Sending her away so soon after the incident would stir up more questions than I'm willing to deal with at the moment. It's just good PR. Nothing more."

"Good PR, huh? And was that your idea, or hers?" Caroline shot him a sharp look, daring him to lie.

He looked down at the ground in frustration. "You don't really want me to answer that do you?"

She hissed, but she could tell this argument was going nowhere. Klaus refused to give in to her tantrum, and Caroline refused to hear his reasoning. Throwing her hands in the air, Caroline stormed off back towards the house. She heard Klaus' car start a few minutes later, probably sick and tired of hearing her stew.

Her afternoon was spent reorganizing the bookshelves in her library - first by publication date, then genre, then alphabetical order - steaming the carpet, and then dusting the entire room twice over. Stress cleaning always worked wonders on her psyche, and by the time the sun began to set, Caroline was curled up calmly in an armchair with a good mystery novel tucked into her lap.

And then, Loreley had taken it upon herself to pay the house a visit.

Hearing the front door open downstairs, Caroline's brow furrowed in confusion. Heels tapped sharply against the hardwood floors of her lavish country home, telling her that Klaus was not the one who'd just arrived. Unless he'd taken up a strange cross dressing habit lately. Leaving her cushy library, Caroline followed the sound of the heels down the stairs and into Klaus' study. And who should she find reclined in Klaus' chair but the one woman she most wanted to never see again.

"Hello, Carolyn," Loreley's smooth voice greeted her, a devious smile stretched across the woman's lips.

Caroline ignored the mispronunciation of her name. Loreley new damn well how to pronounce it, but she let her accent flub the name on purpose sometimes just to get under the blonde vampire's skin. Despicable woman. As always, the former siren looked like hell in high heels, her long brown hair braided in artful curls, and her clothes practically glued to her body. More than once, Caroline had to fight the urge to raid the woman's closet for her designer pieces. It was simply unfair that a such a loathsome harpy would have such great taste in fashion.

"Loreley," Caroline greeted curtly, folding her arms across her chest. "I didn't realize you were still in town." A lie. She'd known exactly where this woman was and where she was not. Namely on another continent far, far away. "Are you here to see Klaus?"

The woman reclined back in the armchair behind Klaus' desk, stretching like she was the most comfortable she'd ever been. "I am, actually. We have a few matters of state to discuss. Nothing you need to worry yourself over though."

Caroline was sure smoke would have come out of her ears if such a thing were possible.

This had been a common tactic of Loreley's over the past six months. She treated Caroline like a child and a nuisance, only good for playing silly games and planning frivolous parties. Caroline supposed in the eyes of an ancient vampire, that's exactly what she was: a child. But somehow all the other ancient vampires in Klaus' court managed to treat her like an equal, while Loreley made it her mission to show as little respect for her Queen as possible.

Hearing all about Klaus' sordid history with Loreley from Rebekah had cleared up all questions of 'why' for Caroline. After spending 700 years in love with an Original vampire who treated her like a casual fuck buddy, Caroline could understand how a baby vampire taking the position as the love of Klaus' life would piss Loreley off. But that was her problem, and Caroline would not be dismissed.

"Oh, I don't know," she paced over to stand in front of the desk that thankfully separated her from the other woman, "I'm just dying to hear what your last act as liaison in this city will be."

"Last?" Loreley never let her grin slip off her face. "You'd like that wouldn't you?"

Caroline narrowed her eyes, sensing that this was about to get nasty. "Let's cut the crap, Loreley. You were supposed to be out of New Orleans days ago, and for some reason Klaus is letting you dawdle. I don't really care why, but you're working my last nerve. Wrap up your business, and get the hell out of my city. Got it?"

"Your city?" the leggy brunette had the nerve to laugh in her face. "This city belongs to you as much as it belongs to the hobo who lives on my street corner. This is Klaus' city."

"And I'm Klaus' Queen," Caroline shot back. "No matter how ridiculous I think the title is, I'm going to need you to kiss the damn ring and realize that if I want you gone, you're gone."

Loreley stood up, and her long, toned limbs had her towering over Caroline. The heels didn't help. She leaned onto the desk to get in Caroline's face, but she didn't let herself flinch. If Loreley wanted to intimidate her, she'd have to work a hell of a lot harder.

The other woman must have sensed that because she let her vampire features seep out, eyes bleeding red just the tiniest bit. "How _dare _you speak to me like that, you little wench. I'm older and stronger, and we both know that if I wanted to wear your eyeballs as earrings, I could flatten you with barely a thought."

"But you can't," Caroline countered, "Because Klaus would flatten _you_."

Loreley hissed in annoyance because she knew it was true. "Klaus' ridiculous obsession with you won't last forever. His passions run hot and cold, I know it better than anyone. You'll last a decade at most, and then he'll toss you aside, just like he always does. You little girls, you come and go. I've spent the past seven centuries loving that man, and you think you know him? You don't even come close. I am the woman Klaus has chosen to spend eternity with. You're a little blonde distraction with an inflated ego."

Apparently the gloves were off.

Fine with her.

"You don't really think that do you?" Caroline asked. "I mean sure, on the surface you'd love to believe that I'm nothing and no one, but in your heart of hearts you know it's just not true, right?"

Loreley sniffed out a dismissal, but Caroline could see she was close to a nerve. Good.

"Let's clear this up right now," she circled around the desk, stalking Loreley like prey instead of the predator she knew she was. "If anyone is a distraction here, it's you. Klaus tossed you aside how many times in those oh-so-important 700 years you spent together? He doesn't want you, Loreley, he's proven that. But at the simple thought of _me_ leaving him, he offered to kick your ass out of our city like stray dog. He loves me. He's mine. Plain and simple. So get it through your thick skull, and then get out. I won't say it again."

A stagnant silence filled the room between them before Loreley lunged, shooting both hands out at Caroline and chucking her into the nearest bookshelf. Caroline felt something in her left arm snap, and the pain sent her reeling. The older vampire used that distraction to pull her up and wrap a hand around Caroline's throat. She felt the hard wall hit her back as Loreley pushed her up against it in a clear threat. Caroline knew this was not a fight she could win. Her opponent had centuries on her, and even if she didn't, Caroline had never been a particularly talented fighter. She was the brains and the plan, not the muscle. But rather than engaging in more violence, the two of them stood locked there, eyes full of fury staring back at one another.

A standstill.

"What now?" Caroline choked out. "I may not be able to kill you, but you definitely can't kill me. Not without signing your own death warrant."

"It might be worth it," Loreley's grip on her throat got a little tighter.

Caroline gasped for breath, but she refused to beg. She just fixed Loreley with a steely glare, resolute and unchanging. After a few more oxygen deprived moments, the pressure on her neck abated, and the dark haired woman before her stepped back. Hatred and rage poured out of Loreley, but something else too. Defeat. She didn't say a word, but she didn't have to. After one last hiss, Loreley shook out her shiny brown hair, pulled her jacket tighter around her, and stalked off towards the door.

When the lock finally slid into place behind her, Caroline let out a deep sigh of relief. "And stay out," she whispered for good measure.

A sharp clap rang out from the other side of the door, shocking Caroline. It was followed by another three quick beats of applause as Klaus stepped around the corner and into view. He had a grin on his face, and pride in his eyes. One look at him told her that he'd heard the whole thing.

"You could have lent a hand you know."

"And deny you your shining moment?" Klaus folded his arms and leaned against the door. "Never."

Caroline rolled her eyes and felt her broken arm pop back into place. "She could have killed me."

"She's not that stupid," Klaus waved off her concern. "If she had made a move though, you'd be decorating our entry table with her severed head, I assure you."

Caroline tried not to gag at the mental image. Klaus' sense of humor had always been a little too dark for her taste. Her lover took his sweet time wrapping her up in his arms, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead when she sagged forward against him. She breathed him in, letting Klaus' reassuring presence steady her slightly shocked nerves. Gasping for air always set her on edge. Probably something to do with being smothered to death that one time.

"It's taking every ounce of will power you have not to comment on what you just heard, isn't it?"

"Every last one," he agreed. "But I'm afraid I'm losing the battle."

"Fine," she sighed, still not letting him go. "Let me have it."

Klaus chuckled into her hair. "Well, listening to you effectively mark your territory was a much bigger turn on than I ever expected. I didn't think I'd ever enjoy the idea of being _owned _as much as I do."

Caroline laughed at that. "I could get you a collar if you want."

"No no," Klaus scolded her with a small squeeze. "You said you were not going to try bondage for at least twenty years, so you don't get to tease me with jokes about it."

She had to giggle at that. It was true, she'd read a tragically terrible BDSM romance novel that had somehow taken the nation by storm a few years ago, and she'd been scarred ever since. The one time Klaus had suggested it, she'd made him promise to drop the subject for at least two decades. Period.

"I hope you know that every word you said is true," Klaus finally pulled back to look her in the eye. "My history with Loreley is long and intimidating, I know that. But she was the distraction, not you. Never you."

Caroline bit her lip, but smiled up at him. "I know."

She leaned up to kiss him, and he welcomed it enthusiastically. Very enthusiastically if his wandering hands were any indication. He had not been kidding about being turned on. As he laid her out on his desk and began to strip her jeans off, Caroline made sure to get her next words in before all she was capable of was breathy moans.

"You'll make sure she's gone by tonight though?" she gasped out the words, breathing heavily already.

She let out a sharp cry as he pressed his mouth to her lace covered crotch. "Whatever you want, Caroline," Klaus murmured. "Whatever you want."

He spent the next several hours giving her whatever she wanted. Over and over again.

* * *

_I hoped that you could understand, that this is not what I had planned,_  
_Please don't worry now, it will turn around_

* * *

**I know, I know, girl fights are so trashy. Especially when it's over a stupid guy. **

**But I couldn't help myself after getting asks about Loreley last night. Hopefully this pleases some of you who were not so hot on her last time?**

**Also, I couldn't help but throw a not-so-veiled jab at 50 Shades of Abuse with the movie coming out next week. **


	12. Can't Go Back

**Title**: Can't Go Back

**Disclaimer**: Anything TO or TVD related belong to the CW

_**Summary: This practically wrote itself around 2am last night. It's set after 4x23, but before 5x11, sometime in Caroline's first semester of college, so the Klarosex didn't happen. Almost nothing about TO happened in this timeline either, so you can forget about Hayley and Camille and even kind of Marcel really. Katherine is very human though :)**_

* * *

_Some things you can't go back to, some things need left alone,  
Don't mess with the memories of a life past on._

* * *

She shouldn't have been surprised when it happened.

Major, life-changing, supernatural events were an every day occurrence in Mystic Falls, and the really bad ones only ever happened to people not named Elena Gilbert. To be honest, they should have guessed that if one cure existed, then so did a second. Probably a third, fourth, fifth, and three hundredth too. Really, who was stupid enough to believe that in the 2,000-year-old history of witchcraft, not a single soul had managed to mix together the same combination of herbs that Qetsiyah had brewed to cure immortality.

Morons.

So Caroline should not have been surprised when a truly tragic turn of events left her painfully, heartbreakingly… human.

The first three days she spent curled up in bed. Everything scared her now. A car swerving down the street, a sliver of broken glass on the kitchen floor, the freaking chandelier hanging over her head in the living room. Anything could end her life permanently. No magical healing, no vampire fix-it. Worst of all was the dullness. Caroline could no longer hear the sure thumping of her heart in her chest. She couldn't see the specs of dust that danced in the air or feel the vibrations in the room as a bird landed on the ledge of her window.

She was completely cut off from the world.

And she hated it.

When she finally mustered up the courage to leave her house – and nearly got mauled by a killer golden retriever, like rabies was seriously a possibility there – her first stop was the Salvatore's. Stefan was her closest, dearest friend, and he would understand exactly what she was going through. Surely he would see reason and help her.

"You're not serious."

Caroline raised a dubious eyebrow. "I haven't smiled in nearly a week, Stefan. It doesn't get more serious than that."

"You've been given such a gift, Caroline," he tried to convince her. "Do you know what most of us would do to be human again? To have a life? To be normal?"

"That's your dream, not mine," she tried to argue. "I never wanted to be cured, Stefan. I thought you knew?"

Stefan looked at her like she'd grown a second head. He seemed genuinely incapable of understanding what she was asking him for or why. "I'm sorry, Care. I won't do it. I just can't."

Caroline groaned. "I'm not asking for the still-beating heart of a virgin, Stefan. I just want to go back to the way I was."

"This _is _the way you were."

"No." Caroline stopped him firmly. "This is never who I was. Not really."

It had taken almost an hour of going around in circles in the same conversation for Caroline to realize what should have been apparent from the start. Stefan would not turn her back. He valued humanity and morality and that oh-so-important hummingbird heartbeat that would one day pitter-patter out. He wanted to be human so badly that he would deny her the alternative out of some misplaced sense of remorse. Stefan was a dead end.

Her next logical stop had been Elena. She might have held that same reverence for humanity, but she didn't obsess over it like Stefan did. She'd had the choice to turn back at graduation and she'd passed it up. Elena would help her, surely.

Strike two, baby doll.

Elena actually had the decency to get teary-eyed. "Have you talked to your mom about this, Caroline?"

"Of course," she answer, confused. "She's not exactly jumping on the vampire train herself, but she knows this is my choice. My life."

"You don't honestly think she's okay with it though, do you?" Elena's sweet, understanding voice echoed off the walls of their shared dorm room. Funny how so much kindness always held an edge of judgment to it. "And what about your dad? Care, he chose to die rather than let go of his humanity. Can you honestly say that he wouldn't be ecstatic to find out you were given another chance at being human?"

"This isn't my parents' choice, Elena. It's mine."

"I know, I know," Elena shook her head, almost like she was chiding herself for her own opinion. "I just… my parents wanted so many things for me, and I haven't lived up to any of them. Not for a long time. Now that you've finally got a chance to see your parent's dreams through, don't you want to at least try? For them?"

It had taken every last shred of will power to keep from slapping Elena right in her dead-parent-issues face.

Damon had been a very short third stop.

Elena had called to forewarn him that Caroline might be swinging by with her little request. Anything that Elena vetoed, Damon would not touch. She was dismissed from the bar at The Grill with a snarky one-liner and a toast of bourbon. Jackass.

She didn't even bother with Tyler. They hadn't spoken a word since he'd taken off for parts unknown, and she'd be damned if the first time she called him was with some pathetic plea that he would turn down flat. He'd likely think he was saving her from some terrible, eternal misery. And that officially meant that Mystic Falls was out of vampires for Caroline to plead with. Her little town always seemed to be crawling with bloodsuckers, and yet when she really needed one, they seemed few and far between.

"I'm driving myself nuts, Bon," she complained to the only friend who would listen as she lay curled up in her childhood bed. "Every sudden movement, every loud noise… I feel like the world is literally trying to kill me now that it knows I've lost my immortality card."

"The world isn't trying to kill you, Care."

"Yeah? Tell that to the Robinowitz's attack dog the next time it tries to maul me."

Bonnie just laughed. "Boo Boo is the sweetest animal known to man, I doubt he was trying to do anything but snuggle you to death."

"And he could!" Caroline exclaimed. "Over ten thousand people die of suffocation every year in the United States alone. Did you know that?"

"Someone needs to take Google away from you."

"Ugh!" she screamed in frustration. She burrowed into her pillow and tried to keep the angry tears at bay. Eventually she felt Bonnie's hands running through her hair, which calmed her down enough to speak again. "Do you understand what it's like to _hate _what you are? Being a vampire… I finally felt like I had control of myself. What I wanted and why. It was all right there, like my whole life had been a dress rehearsal for that change. Now I just feel... wrong. I can't explain it more than that. I feel wrong. What do I do, Bon?"

"Be human?"

Caroline swallowed down the fear at those two words. "What does that even mean anymore? Finish college, get a job, marry a man I can barely tolerate for the next thirty years and pop out a kid or two? All the while knowing that my life and my family is living in constant danger from everything that goes bump in the night? That sounds like hell. That's not what I want. Not anymore."

For once, Bonnie didn't complain that Caroline was being over dramatic. She didn't scold or admonish, she simply sat there, running her fingers through her best friend's hair, shushing her when the sobs came back.

"I want it back, Bonnie," she let the tears fall by the dozen. "I want it back so bad."

"Well," her best friend sat back and looked Caroline dead in the eye. "Then it's time to talk about the option you've been pretty obviously ignoring for the past two weeks."

Caroline released a heavy breath. "That's because it's not an option."

"Oh please!" Bonnie rolled her eyes. "He'd turn you in second and you know it."

She was right. Caroline knew it before she'd even started with Stefan. There was one vampire in the world who fully expected her to live out a long and happy eternity. He was counting on it really. If she showed up at Klaus' door, hat in hand, he'd probably offer his blood and snap her neck before she even crossed the threshold. There were very few things that man wouldn't do for her, and this didn't even come close to making the cut.

Nevertheless, Caroline shook her head. "It's just… not an option."

"Not an option? It's your only option, not to mention your best one!" Bonnie practically shouted.

"I can't believe _you_ of all people are pushing me to go see Klaus. We finally got that Pandora's box closed, and now you want me to take a peek inside? You know what he's capable of."

"Hey," Bonnie pointed an accusatory finger at her. "You're the one moping and moaning about a problem with an obvious solution. If you won't ask Klaus to turn you, then you better damn well stop crying and get out of this bed because you've got no one to blame but yourself."

The lecture hung heavily in the air for a few tense minutes. They stared back and forth, both narrowing their eyes in challenge. Finally, Caroline conceded.

"You could be a decent life coach, you know that?"

"Damn straight."

And so without much pretense, Caroline loaded a duffle bag (okay two duffle bags and a roller, she had never mastered the art of packing light) and drove her little Ford Focus right across the Mystic Falls town border. She figured she had three state lines to change her mind. And yet with each passing mile, she found it harder and harder to think about turning around. Every hour spent in that car was one less hour she had to spend as a human. She was heading back to the life and the future she'd been promised. The one he'd promised her. And she'd be damned if a little bit of fear kept her from it.

* * *

It took her less than an hour after crossing into the French Quarter to locate a vampire. Daylight rings were easy to spot when you were looking for them, and there was a certain predatory way vampires moved among humans.

It took another hour of observing him before she determined that he was not a bloodthirsty, soulless monster. She would not be taken in by one of those. Never again. Unfortunately, it had taken her less than five minutes to determine that this particular vampire was also gay as three dollar bill, which meant her wonderfully tight jeans and low cut top were not going to get her very far.

When all else failed, that Miss Mystic charm shined on through.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed animatedly as she fawned over the gay vampire she'd just _accidentally_ barreled into. "My mother always warned me that day drinking would turn me into a lush."

She brushed at the drink she'd spilled all over herself.

"Crap, crap, crap, that was probably my fault," the vampire looked nervously at his surroundings.

Caroline couldn't help but notice that he kept twisting his daylight ring around and around on his index finger. Almost like he wasn't used to it being there. Poor thing, he was probably brand new. He seemed even more uncomfortable in his skin than she did, and that was saying something.

"Not at all! I knocked _you_ over!"

"I just," the kid shook his head pathetically. "I've been jumpy lately. And I tend to move… fast. You probably just didn't see me."

Caroline smiled benevolently up at him. "Hey, no harm no foul."

"Right," he smiled tightly back. "Can I buy you a new drink at least?"

"Oh, I think I've probably had enough for two o'clock in the afternoon." That didn't stop her from sitting down on the bar stool next to him though. "I'm Caroline."

"Josh," the vampire answered and extended a friendly hand.

Caroline shook it surely, amazed at how innocent this boy seemed. Even as young as he was, vampires typically didn't go long without tainting that innocence of theirs. Killing and lies and manipulation and buried bodies in the woods tended to snuff out any positive emotions, and yet here was Josh. Happy as a clam, and content to chat with a complete stranger in a random bar.

For one awful minute, Caroline considered just cutting the middle man out of the process. Josh was nice and funny and a little drunk. If she came clean to him about what she wanted, he might naively give it to her. She wouldn't even have to see Klaus at all.

And that was the rub wasn't it?

She'd come here to face her fear without declaring that fear, even in her own head.

She wasn't afraid of asking Klaus to turn her. She wasn't even afraid he'd say no. She was afraid of everything before that. The moment he opened that door, he was going to catch sight of her, and she'd know once and for all if she was a passing distraction or everything he'd promised she was. Last loves and light and a thousand more birthdays. It would either be written plainly on his face… or it would not.

And worse, a moment after that he would know what had happened to her. He'd hear the slightly slower beat of a human heart, smell the fresh appetizing blood running through her veins. Perhaps he'd even be able to spot the two weeks of age that had weathered her features – the skin of the human body changed every minute you know – if he looked closely enough.

Caroline shook her head, trying to focus back on whatever Josh was telling her. Some haunted rave in cemetery tomorrow night. Very New Orleans.

"That sounds awesome, but I might have other plans," Caroline bit her lip nervously and then bit the bullet. "Actually I'm in town looking for someone, and I think you might be able to help me find him."

"I don't know," Josh grinned charismatically, "It's a big city. Then again, I'm kind of awesome, so maybe I can. What's his name?"

Josh looked expectantly at Caroline, and it took her longer than it should have to force the name out. "...Klaus."

In an instant, her new friend's face fell, and he looked around the bar like there were snipers out to get him. "Did he send you here? I swear, I'm keeping up my end of the deal, no one knows anything, and I'm always so so so careful, I promise."

"Well, it looks like we're talking about the same Klaus, that's for sure."

Caroline looked the guy over and noticed he was actually trembling. Only Klaus could inspire this kind of pee-your-pants terror in someone. She'd suspected from the daylight ring that this young vampire might know her Original Hybrid. It's not like those things were a dime a dozen, and Klaus was one of the only vampires on earth with the spell. Then again, New Orleans was a strange city. Maybe all the vampires here were daywalkers.

Josh pulled her focus back to him. "Look, I don't know what he wants from me but-"

"Josh, relax!" Caroline soothed him. "Honestly, you're strung tighter than a Georgia fiddle. I'm not here for you, I'm here for Klaus. I just thought you could point me in the right direction?"

The kid sighed, but he still kept some of his edge. Klaus had certainly done a number on this one.

"Is he going to come after me for telling you where to find him? Because I've seen what that guy can do with a pitchfork, and man, I so do not want to be on the receiving end of that."

Caroline swallowed. That sounded unpleasant. "No, he won't be mad. I'm just... an old friend looking for a favor."

"And old friend, huh?" Josh still sounded dubious.

"Hey, I'm human," Caroline held her hands up in placation. "What's the worst I could do to someone like Klaus?"

That seemed to sway Josh. Humans in New Orleans must have been at the very bottom of the totem pole because after another moment of consideration, he seemed to ease up and take her into consideration.

"Please?" she put on her best 'daddy-I-want-a-pony' face.

Barely ten seconds later, he caved. Sucker. She thanked him profusely, and walked out of that bar with an address and whole new set of nerves. Maybe she could have used that second drink after all.

* * *

Honestly, she should have probably walked right up to his door after leaving Josh. It was only a few blocks away, and cutting to the chase was exactly why she was here.

Instead, she had a beignet. Then a hurricane. Then she'd gone on a walking tour of the French Quarter's most haunted areas. Then she'd stopped by a nail salon. And a blow out bar. By the time she'd run out of pointless distractions, the sun had set and there were no more excuses unless she wanted to get rip-roaring drunk before asking Klaus to turn her back into a vampire. Probably not the best option.

She stood outside of his gate for a long time. There was no movement inside - at least none that her pathetic human ears could pick up - and she nearly convinced herself that he wasn't home.

Plucking up the last of her courage, Caroline pushed inside the giant gate and found herself in the middle of a quaint, enclosed courtyard. Ivy covered the walls and sturdy furniture were the only embellishments to the place, and other than a really big spider, Caroline was alone in the expansive space. What was she supposed to do now? Call out? That seemed a little rude. Not to mention awkward. Should she find a door and knock on it? Who knows who else Klaus had stashed in here. She didn't particular feel like running into a hungry vampire looking like she did. Blonde cheerleader was always on the menu for their kind.

Just when she was about to turn tail and run, a huge _crash_ from above her nearly made her jump out of her skin.

"I HATE YOU!" an all too familiar voice floated down to her. "I can't stand to look at you, get out! I hate you!"

Was that... Katherine?

"The feeling is mutual, love."

His voice was as confident and lilting as ever, and Caroline tried not to feel the slight shiver that went up her spine at hearing it. She'd gone months without hearing that aloof British accent, and apparently she needed to build up her resistance again.

A door slammed, and she heard Klaus sigh. "Fix it, Elijah."

"If you would try for even a modicum of civility with Katerina, you two might be able to come to terms, you know," another slightly accented voice answered him, and Caroline vaguely recognized it as Elijah's. "Regardless, you need to speak to the wolves tomorrow. They've been hopping the border again."

"I'm struggling to see how your werewolf problem is my issue, Elijah. They know the rules. If they want to live inside the city limits, they have to turn. I didn't go through all the trouble of tracking Katerina down to let her human blood go to waste."

So this is where Katherine had landed... Caroline wondered a few times after hearing that Elena had shoved the first cure down her doppelganger's throat. Katherine was resourceful and cunning, but now that she was only human? A vampire could only run from an immortal hybrid for so long, but a human didn't stand a chance. Luckily for her, Katherine now held the one thing that Klaus apparently still wanted. Doppelganger blood to turn hybrids. And around and around they went.

"It's _our_ werewolf problem, brother. How long until one of them sneaks in on a full moon and attacks one of your new vampires?"

"How convenient that the only cure for one of those bites runs through my veins. I don't think it's quite the urgent issue you believe it to be."

"You're dramatically under-reacting, Niklaus."

She heard Klaus chuckle and finally pinpointed his position as directly above her, on the landing that surrounded the courtyard. "I'm the only one not _dramatically_ doing anything. You're the one that's worked yourself into a-"

The exact moment Caroline knew she'd been spotted was obvious. Not only did Klaus cut himself off mid-sentence, he also halted right in his steps to stare down at her.

She cleared her throat and held up a friendly hand.

"Hi."

A bit lackluster as greetings went, but there was nothing like a classic.

Klaus flashed right over the banister to stand directly in front of her. She pulled back with a breathy gasp that betrayed her fear. Her vampire eyes would have caught the graceful movement, but as a human it looked like Klaus had simply appeared out of thin air in front of her.

"Caroline," his grin was infectious, and Caroline found herself fighting the urge smile widely back. "This is a surprise. A pleasant one."

And she could see it truly was. Klaus had never bothered concealing his reactions around her, and he hadn't started now after all these months apart. His smile was genuine and even a little excited, and his eyes held that playful, flirty edge that she both loved and hated. His head tilted to the side as his eyes raked over her, and she felt her skin tingle as he gave her a quick once-over. It was honestly like he was reacquainting himself with all things Caroline. When his eyes met hers again, it was obvious he still immensely enjoyed what he saw.

It seemed that her first fear was unfounded. Whatever Klaus wanted from her, it was not some fleeting flirtation. She could have shown up ten years from now and received the same greeting, she was sure of it.

Caroline opened her mouth to speak, but Elijah cut her off from the landing above. "Miss Forbes, you have impeccable timing. I recall you were sympathetic to werewolf and hybrid plights in Mystic Falls. Perhaps you can get Niklaus to see reason."

"Oh, um..." Caroline's eyebrows pulled down and she scratched her nose nervously. She hadn't intended to get in the middle of some foreign policy debate during her first five minutes here.

Klaus' hand quickly shot out and grabbed her hand from off her face, turning it slowly so he could see the knuckle of her thumb. There, in all its human glory, was a small cut that she'd gotten when she'd loaded her suitcases into her trunk. Superficial and scabbed over, it would probably be gone by this time tomorrow. But that was still about twenty times longer than it should have taken to heal if she'd been a vampire.

Caroline's eyes dropped to the floor. She wasn't sure what she was feeling. Guilt? Shame? Anger? Sadness. Yes, all of those things. But also an overwhelming urge to _run_.

Get the hell out of here and forget she'd even stopped by.

That was obviously not an option as Klaus held onto her tight, sliding his hand down from her knuckle to her wrist. His grip tightened slightly until he felt the soft _thump-thump_ of her human pulse. Slower and more strained than a vampire pulse. Klaus' eyes widened in shock and found hers immediately.

"What...?" he let the question ask itself, as there was no real reason to finish it.

Caroline opened her mouth to answer, but no words came out. She just stood there, mouth hanging open, and tears slowly seeping into her eyes. She tried to fight them off, she really did, but one escaped down the side of her cheek anyways. Right away she dropped his gaze. Caroline couldn't believe she was crying. She'd thought she was all cried out, but here they came again. How humiliating.

"Elijah," Klaus called up softly. "Excuse us please."

Absently, Caroline heard his retreating footsteps, and she registered that they were finally alone. Gently, Klaus placed a hand under her chin and lifted her face up to look at his again.

"Katerina took the cure," he seemed flabbergasted. "I thought..."

"There was another," her quiet voice answered him.

"I see." Klaus swallowed and nodded, removing both hands from her and stepping back.

In his eyes, she could see anger and something else that closely resembled disappointment. There it was. There was that unspoken fear that Caroline hadn't dared to put a name to. He didn't want her anymore. Now that she was weak and human and pointless, Klaus had no kind words or comforting gestures for her. He recoiled from her very presence. Everything Klaus loved about her - and yes she'd really thought it was love, stupid girl - was because she was a vampire.

She tried to tell herself that this was for the best. Can you imagine how catastrophic this discovery would have been if she'd actually allowed herself to care for him and live with him and love him the way he'd asked? She would have been decimated. Completely and utterly heartbroken, knowing that the one man who had put her first and chosen her above everyone else hadn't really wanted _her_. He'd wanted an idea of her. A specific version of her. He would still turn her back obviously, but only so he could get the Caroline he wanted. Yep, it was a good thing she'd caught this thing early. Before she cared. A relief.

Biting the inside her cheek, Caroline spat her next words out. "I'm only here because... because I had no alternative."

"No alternative?" Klaus asked sourly. "How flattering. I would have assumed that the obvious alternative was riding off into your rather short sunset."

"What?" Caroline couldn't understand what he was talking about. What metaphorical sunset were they talking about?

Klaus shook his head angrily. "No, let me guess. Something awful has happened to Elena, and you're here to beg for my help, is that it?"

"I- what are you talking about?" Caroline felt like she was in that nightmare of hers where she walked onto the competition floor and suddenly couldn't remember one move of her carefully choreographed cheer routine. "Elena's got nothing to do with this."

"Well clearly you didn't take a break from your blissful new human existence to come all the way down to New Orleans for a chat, so what can I do for you, Caroline? How can your Original lapdog be of service this time?"

His aggressive tone put her on edge, and she felt her anger building up. She didn't even register most of what he was saying, just that he was being a bigger bitch than she was, and she was having _none of it_. "Hey! If you don't want me here, all you have to do is ask. I'm sorry I'm so _repulsive _to you now that I'm human, but I thought you'd at least be selfish enough to turn me back before kicking me to the curb. God, I can't believe I actually thought you might be decent person somewhere under there."

She made to storm off, but Klaus quickly grabbed her arm to hold her back. With her lack of speed and his wildly superior strength, she had no choice but to stop.

"What did you just say?" Klaus had gone from angry to shocked in a second flat. Mood swings much?

"I said you're dick, now let me go."

"No, before that," Klaus actually had the nerve to smile. "You want me to... turn you back? Into a vampire?"

Caroline nearly screamed in aggravation. "Obviously! Why the hell do you think I drove a bajillion miles? For tea?"

"So you _don't _want to be human?" Klaus actually seemed surprised.

"Of course not," she groaned. "I never did, you knew that. You always knew that."

Klaus moved faster than she could register again, and before she knew it his hand was curled in her hair and his forehead was pressed against hers. Well this was... intimate. Caroline struggled to keep her breathing in check, but it was a losing battle. Her human heart started to beat faster, and it only got worse when she took a deep breath in through the nose and was flooded with his scent. How the hell had she forgotten the way he smelled? It had starred in some very x-rated dreams of hers back when he'd been a daily presence in her life.

Caroline was no genius, but it didn't take one to realize where the disconnect in their conversation had occurred. Klaus had thought she'd taken the cure voluntarily. That she'd chosen to trade her immortal life - the one he'd all but promised belonged with him - in for a short and miserable human one. The idea was ludicrous. He'd known before she had that returning to the girl she'd been before was out of the question. His aggressive behavior earlier hadn't been about her new found humanity at all. It was because he'd thought she'd made the _choice_ to leave it all behind. To leave him behind. The future he'd promised her wouldn't exactly work out if she was old and grey by the time he came to collect.

Hesitantly reaching up, Caroline wrapped her own hand around his forearm and coughed politely to get his attention, since he seemed content to just rest against her for the rest of his very long life. "I'm not exactly getting any younger over here, you know."

Klaus chuckled but backed away. "No you're not, are you? I won't ask you if you're sure about this," her warned, biting deeply into his wrist.

"Smart man," Caroline noted, taking that bleeding wrist and pressing it to her lips.

Blood passed into her mouth for the first time in two weeks, and she had to fight her gag reflex. Humans did not drink blood, no no no. Swallowing, Caroline pulled back and licked her lips, but Klaus reached forward and wiped the excess blood away himself. Her lips practically burned where his fingers traced back and forth, just a little longer than was appropriate. She let it go. If she couldn't find the will power to pull back from the caress, then she couldn't very well blame him for lacking it too.

"Can I ask why me?" he spoke softly, as he led her to one of those sturdy chairs she'd noticed before.

"Not to be rude," she grimaced a little, "But you were last on my list. Everyone else turned me down."

"Figures," Klaus shook his head bitterly. "They're all so tangled up in angst and regret that they can't see past their own noses. You were always meant to be a vampire, Caroline. Anyone can see it."

All that tension and anger she'd been feeling for weeks slowly melted out of her. Finally, here was someone who understood. Someone who got exactly what she had tried to explain over and over again to her loved ones back home. Sometimes change made you better. Changing into a vampire was the best thing that had ever happened to her, and changing back was the worst. Klaus knew that. And he was more than happy to reverse the wrong.

She reach out slowly to take his hand in hers. "I'm probably being a silly, emotional mess right now, but thank you. Hearing you say that... it's a lot, you know?"

Klaus nodded in acknowledgment, squeezing her hand back slightly. Finally, he tore his gaze away from hers and moved to stand behind her chair. "I've done this many, many times, and I've found that a broken neck is typically the quickest and most painless way to go. Being run through with a sword is decidedly the worst."

"Suffocation sucks too, just so you know."

"Noted," he chuckled, and she felt his small puffs of laughter against the back of her neck.

Caroline let out of gust of air, trying to focus on the fact that she was about to die rather than the sensation of Klaus' hot breath ghosting over her skin. He moved in closer, tilting her head gently to the side so he could get the right angle for the snap. Her hands practically turned into claws on the arms of her chair when he pushed her hair aside.

She tensed further as his voice sounded right next to her ear. "There's no need to be nervous, sweetheart."

"I know," she practically squeaked. Let him think she was nervous about dying, that was fine with her.

"I'll be here when you wake up," Klaus spoke again, and this time his lips definitely brushed against the shell of her ear. Damn him.

His words sparked a different kind of nervousness in her though. Caroline actually felt unsure of herself for the first time since this whole thing started. She remembered waking up the first time as a vampire. Hungry, alone, confused, and all around terrified. It had been the worst day of her life to date, and she didn't want to go through any of that again.

"Promise?" she turned her head slightly and found Klaus' blue eyes staring right back into hers.

He smiled in way that was mischievous and reassuring all at one. "I promise."

Those were the last words she heard before a quick snap started her eternity all over again. Funny how things had a way of coming full circle.

* * *

_I don't want to be a witness to a path that's overgrown, I don't want to see this house not be a home,_  
_Cause time has taken toll on what we couldn't see, no I don't want to be a witness to the end of you and me._

* * *

**Klaus would absolutely turn Caroline back if she asked, and he'd make sure to make a seduction out of it in the process. Clever bastard. **

**I also threw in a few southernisms because people (and by people I mean TVD writers) all too often forget that Caroline and the gang grew up in small-town Virginia. Mystic Falls is the sticks, and Virginia is still technically the south. I mean, they have a parade with beauty pageant contestants on it. It doesn't get much more southern than that.**

**Bonus points to whoever spots the Newsroom reference. **


	13. Can't Go Back Part 2

**Title**: Til Kingdom Come

**Disclaimer**: Anything TO or TVD related belongs to the CW

_**Summary**_: _**Since all of you asked so nicely... A follow up to Can't Go Back, where Caroline was accidentally given a cure and turned human. This is a direct continuation after Klaus turned her and snapped her neck. The angst monster got out of her cage today, so this is how things unfolded. You asked for it! **_

* * *

_The wheels just keep on turning, the drummer begins to drum,_  
_I don't know which way I'm going, I don't know which way I've come_

* * *

Caroline vividly remembered the first time she woke up as a vampire.

Gasping for air, terrified, and alone. The steady _drip drip drip _of the I.V. behind her bed had sounded like gunfire and the dim track lighting had burned her eyes. Worst of all was the hunger. Gnawing, aching, desperate hunger. Not for jello or pasta or even the oversized snickers bar Matt had left on his chair. No, her empty stomach had demanded something sticky and sweet… and red.

The second time she woke up as a vampire, Caroline rose to consciousness slowly. Her neck throbbed and that _hunger_ was still there, but everything else was different. There was no confusion or terror, no uncertainty or despair. It was like coming home.

She flexed her muscles slowly and felt all that coiled power, just waiting to be released. All it would take was a few drops of blood.

Caroline felt herself smile. There was no reason to be afraid anymore.

At least she thought so, until her senses extended enough to hear the ruckus taking place just outside her door.

Sitting up, Caroline looked around the room she instantly identified as Klaus'. Oversized king bed? Check. Paintbrushes and canvases? Check. Creepy framed letters from past murder victims? Check. To her right, she spotted two bags of blood. One was already already opened, B positive, what else? It's like he was trying to show off sometimes. Her hunger surged, and she knew that one taste of that blood would be like ten shots of heroin in her veins. But the control freak in her, the good vampire who could always, _always _resist, fought it back. She could wait. She would wait.

The one thing she noted was _not_ in the room was the Original who had turned her.

He'd promised to be there when she woke up, and say what you want about the man, Klaus had never broken a promise to her.

Another CRASH from outside the room caught her attention.

Three guesses where he'd gotten to…

Standing, Caroline swayed on her feet for just a second before heading for the double doors that connected Klaus' bedroom to the sitting room beyond. She cracked one open and peaked around it, hoping against hope that there was not some epic battle for New Orleans happening on the other side.

Her wish was granted. All she found was Klaus.

And he was in a mood. The curtains had all been pulled from the windows – likely some of the crashes she'd just heard – and the furniture was in pieces. The couch… how the hell had he even done that? Books had been torn off shelves and broken glass lay in shards under smashed windows. Now Klaus was working on the beautifully painted canvases that sat half finished on easels and against walls. He tore at them viciously, pulling them apart and flinging them across the room.

She'd never seen him like this.

Mad sure. Annoyed always. Hell, she'd even seen him pissed, with murder and revenge on the brain. But this was different. This was… monstrous.

He stopped ripping for a minute to stand in the middle of his destruction. Breathing heavy, his back to her, Klaus stood clenching and unclenching his fists. In a last display of violence, he kicked the painting at his feet so hard it rocketed against the wall, hitting the floor with a great THUNK.

"Yeah, I hate that color green too," Caroline broke the silence. "Kind of vomit-y."

Klaus turned in a flash, his eyes going wide.

For a minute he just stood there, staring at her. He didn't say anything, and neither did she. It was a standstill, and Caroline could not have been more confused as to why. What on earth had happened in the few hours she was out to cause something like this?

And then with a great heave, Klaus dropped to his knees.

"You were dead," he whispered hopelessly.

"Yeah," Caroline stepped into the room cautiously. "You snapped my neck, remember? Death tends to happen when you do that. Seriously, what's wrong with you?"

Klaus nearly choked, still staring at her like she was a vision. "You- you were gone. It's been… Caroline, it's been fourteen hours since you... You didn't wake up."

"Fourteen?" Caroline couldn't believe her ears.

She wasn't exactly an expert at turning humans into vampires, but Damon and Stefan had filled her in on the basics. Two hours was the standard. Three if the blood to death ratio was a little off. Fourteen was… too long. Fourteen hours was cold skin and rigor mortis and decomposition. Fourteen hours was dead dead.

Caroline swallowed.

What had that cure done to her? What else had it changed?

Looking around the room, it became obvious what had happened here. After waiting and waiting and waiting for her to surge to life, Klaus had accepted the reality that she was gone. And this was apparently what that reality looked like. A light breeze carried in through the broken window and Caroline's gums ached at the smell of fresh blood. Lots of it. Whoever had been unlucky enough to be passing by the Abattoir compound today had likely not met a happy end. She ground her teeth together at the thought of how many bodies probably lay strewn about in the halls and alleyways surrounding Klaus' home.

Focusing back on the hybrid in question, she noticed he'd never taken his eyes off her. Like he was afraid she would disappear if he even blinked.

"After the first three hours," Klaus spoke like he was in a trance, "I became impatient and tried to hurry you along. Ridiculous really, you can't hurry these things. I got a blood bag, one I knew you liked. I even tried to force some down your throat, but… you were dead, how could you swallow it? So I waited, content to let you take your time. I promised I'd wait for you after all, and you were only testing that promise."

She moved forward during his mumbled ranting, approaching him like one would a wild beast. Careful not to move too fast, lest they strike out at you in fear.

"Klaus…"

He carried on as if she hadn't even spoke, "After the eighth hour, Elijah came. He suggested we _move _you. Somewhere more appropriate for this kind of thing. He tried to be gentle, but I could tell what he was thinking. He wouldn't call you by name, you see. It was all about moving 'the body' and making sure no one found 'it.' Like you were a thing. Already gone. Like you weren't going to come back."

Caroline sank to her knees in front of him, tentatively reaching out to touch his face. His eyes snapped to hers. "Hey," she shushed him, "It's okay-"

"That's what I kept telling myself. I said it again and again because this has never not worked before. You drank my blood, you died, you should have come back. But you didn't. And then after twelve hours..."

He looked helpless around the room, at all the wreckage.

She had both hands on his cheeks now, forcing him to look into her eyes, but it didn't seem to be helping. Klaus was shaken up worse than she'd ever seen him.

"I'm here," she said the words like a promise.

He could only shake his head though, like he wouldn't even let himself believe for one moment that she was truly alive. "I killed you."

If it were possible, Caroline's heart broke even further. Not only had Klaus thought he'd lost her, he was convinced that he had murdered her with a quick snap of the neck. This destruction wasn't the product of a man grieving the woman he loved, it was the rage made manifest of a monster who'd deprived himself of everything he'd ever wanted for centuries. Klaus always had a way of sabotaging his own happiness, and here was the proof of that. He'd torn this room apart with the knowledge that it had been his hands to snuff out the light that was Caroline Forbes.

Klaus released a shaky breath, closing his eyes, finally taking them off of her. He was trying valiantly to get himself under control, she could see that, but the mind of a 1000-year-old man was not something that could be easily tamed. He was still totally and utterly lost in the storm inside his own head.

"You didn't, Klaus. You didn't kill me," she tried to convince him. "You could never."

He only breathed heavier, and when his eyes snapped open they were full of anguish and ringed with yellow.

He was losing it.

This was dangerous. This was not going to end well. Searching for some way to fix him, Caroline shot forward, and before her brain had even processed why, she'd pressed her lips firmly against his. The force of her pushed him back, but she followed, keeping them locked in that embrace. There was no movement, no tongue, no sliding of lips or sighs of pleasure. It was not so much a kiss even as a connection between two people. But it did the trick, steadying him and focusing him on the now. Not those awful hours where he had been adrift. Slowly, she sensed the tension seeping out of Klaus.

After another long moment, he drew away to breathe. She was more than a little surprised when he used that breath to tilt his head and kiss her back, lifting a hand to her neck and capturing her lips. She'd often wondered what a kiss from Klaus would feel like, but all her imaginings were wrong. It was sweet and slow instead of passionate and fiery like she'd expected. Punctuated with small nips and the scantest slide of tongue, leaving her wanting more.

More of his taste, more of that sweet, wonderful, delicious-

There was a roar inside of Caroline like she hadn't felt in nearly two years. She lost all control or reason, and in a split second she had Klaus flat on his back, laid out under her as she straddled him and attacked his mouth. She needed _more more more. _He grabbed onto her shoulders and pushed her back, and she actually snapped at him, desperate for something, anything to ease the fire in her gums and the ache in her belly.

"Please," she whined, thrashing in his arms.

"Sweetheart, stop," Klaus commanded. "You're hungry, we need to get you blood."

She pushed against him, ignoring his words. There was a speck of red on his chin and it was _hers hers hers_, if she could just get close enough to-

Gravity shifted and Caroline was suddenly on her back, pinned down. Klaus restrained her arms above her head, entwined their legs to stop her kicking, and he pressed his hips down into hers to keep her in place. She bit at him in anger and frustration.

"CAROLINE!"

The sharp yell snapped her out of her bloodlust, and Caroline remembered exactly where she was and why. Breathing exercises. She needed to breathe, just like Stefan had taught her that very first night. In and out. In and out. Push it back.

Thought and reason came back to her slowly, and she relaxed under Klaus' tight grip. "I'm okay," she breathed, "I'm okay."

"You need blood," Klaus rolled off of her, offering her a hand up. She took it gratefully.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." she tried her best to apologize, but there wasn't a great way to say 'sorry for jumping you and nearly biting your lips off, I was feeling peckish.'

She eyed the blood on his chin again. Whoever he'd indulged in during his moment of madness before had been all over his mouth and tongue. The second Caroline had tasted human blood again... it had been like a switch flipped inside her. All she knew was hunger and bloodlust and violence. It had been that way her first night too. Well, her _other_ first night.

"No need to apologize," Klaus waved her off as they walked back into the bedroom that had been her tomb for a time. She saw him stare at the empty bed for a minute before shaking it off. "Here."

He grabbed the opened blood bag off the side table and handed it to her. She tore into it that very second, letting the warm gush of blood fill her up and settle her down. The change happened instantaneously; all that coiled power surged back to her in one great flood. Her hands felt strong and her head felt clear. Sights and sounds and smells increased tenfold, sharpening now that she was past transition. Complete control. Perfection.

After the bag was drained, she sloshed the remaining liquid around in her mouth, delighting in her favorite blood type.

It didn't take long for her to realize that her precious B positive didn't taste quite the same anymore. Where was the tangy aftertaste or spiciness that seemed to always rest on the tip of her tongue? Where was that something _other _that she just couldn't quite put her finger on?

"Something wrong?" Klaus stepped forward, worried.

His worry was understandable. Whatever cure she'd taken, it had delayed her rise to vampirism by no less than twelve hours. Who knew what other surprise catastrophes awaited her in the second foray into eternity.

"No," Caroline furrowed her brow. "It's just..."

"What?" Klaus looked ready to snap. She needed to go easy on his nerves.

She searched for a way to explain it. The satiated, full feeling the blood always left her with was there. Her hunger had abated, so the meal had served its purpose. "It tastes different," she finally settled on the easiest explanation. "Did you leave it sitting out too long or something?"

Klaus lifted an eyebrow. "I think I know how to properly store blood, thank you."

"Touchy, touchy," she smiled, hoping to lift the mood. "It's not bad, just... different. Maybe my taste buds changed?"

She laughed at that joke, but it seemed to trigger something in Klaus. His eyes went a little wide, and he held up a finger before grabbing for the second bag of blood. He offered it to her with strange light in his eye. Kind of like the one she used to get at science fairs when she knew she was about to win. "Try this one."

"AB positive," Caroline read the side of the bag curiously. "You think I just have a new favorite blood type?"

"Perhaps," Klaus prompted her to take a sip, so she indulged.

The second it hit her tongue, she could taste a world of difference. AB positive had never been to her preferences before, but now it was like honey and pancakes and cotton candy all rolled up inside a strip of bacon and dipped in chocolate. It sounded disgusting even in her own head, but her fangs didn't agree with her. They came shooting out, and she sucked the whole bag down with a delighted moan.

Klaus watched it all, clearing his throat as she made embarrassing happy noises. A twinkle of lust in his eye.

For good measure, she licked her lips and the outside of the bag to get as much of the leftovers as she could. "I guess my taste buds did change," she noted strangely. "How'd you know?"

Klaus tore his eyes away from her mouth, and Caroline stopped sucking the spilled blood off her fingers. Whoops.

"A little experiment I put together at the turn of the twentieth century, when that Austrian chap discovered blood types." Klaus explained. "I've never been deeply interested in the sciences, but you could say this discovery was right up my alley. I found that vampires tend to favor the same blood types as that of their sire. AB positive runs through my veins, so you find it most appealing. I'd bet my entire Renoir collection that Damon is B positive."

Caroline just shook her head at him. "You're such a nerd."

He barked out a laugh, and she found she liked the sound. He had barely smiled since she'd found him decimated in that sitting room, but he seemed to be returning to the man she knew, which was a relief. Managing a psychotic Klaus was harder than she'd ever imagined.

"Let's get you some real food," Klaus suggested, leading the way. "There's a cafe down the street that will make you anything you want."

She followed him out, trying her best to ignore the destruction she found through the rest of the house. The bodies had been cleared away - likely by Elijah - but the blood stains remained on the walls and the stone and the windows. Seeing it all put Klaus on edge too, and a little of that madness from before came creeping back into him. He snuck glances at her, either wanting to reassure himself that she was really alive, or worried what she'd think of all the death he'd just caused.

Looking down, Caroline noticed his hands were shaking slightly. Every now and then, they twitch, or close into fists.

Taking pity on him, she reached out to clasp on of his hands in hers, letting the warmth of her skin and the thrum of her pulse beating against his reassure him. She was alive. She was here. She wasn't going anywhere. He linked their fingers and smirked at her, trying his best to return to his normal, cocky self.

"Don't read anything into this," she warned, gesturing to their entwined hands.

"I wouldn't dare."

When they finally made it past what was left of the massacre, Caroline breathed easier. She expected there were at least a dozen innocents who weren't going to make it back to their families tonight. Her stomach rolled at the knowledge.

"So," she continued, trying to distract herself. "You're AB positive. Good to know."

"And you?" he asked cordially.

"O negative," she responded proudly.

"Rare and coveted by all, how fitting." Klaus noted, making her blush.

As he held open the front gate for her, he grinned and chatted about the history of the area and the city he clearly loved. Caroline took it all, asking questions where it was appropriate and playing the enthused tourist. But mostly, she tried not to linger on the fact that she was the universal donor, able to give to all, while Klaus was the opposite; he could only take.

* * *

_For you, I'd wait 'til kingdom come, until my day, my day is done._  
_And say you'll come, and set me free, just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me._

* * *

**Remember, you guys asked for it!**

**If you don't know how blood types work, here's a break down: There's A, B, AB, and O. Then there's positive or negative- you either have a specific antigen (meaning you are positive) or you don't (meaning you are negative). The body cannot take something that it doesn't have, meaning A cannot take B and B cannot take A. ****AB can take both A and B. ****Similarly, Negatives cannot take Positive (but positives CAN take negatives, since there's a _lack _there). Blood type O negative is the universal donor because O is able to donate to all letters (A, B, and AB) and they are negative for that extra antigen so they can donate to negatives and positives. Caroline can _give_ blood to everyone, and Klaus can _take_ blood from everyone. And that's an explanation of how I managed to turn my science nerd knowledge into an opportunity for angst. You're welcome. **


	14. All of My Days

**Title**: All of My Days

**Disclaimer**: Anything TO or TVD related belong to the CW

_**Summary: Set a few weeks after the Klarosex in 5x11. No Hayley or baby or Camille, or half the bonkers stuff that happened in S1 of The Originals. Caroline and Bonnie head to NOLA for a Mardis Gras trip, and they run into a little amnesia problem. Blame Melissa for this, she's the one who dropped half a dozen prompts in my ask box. This one stuck. **_

* * *

_Well I have been searching all of my days, all of my days,  
__M__any a road, you know I've been walking on, all of my days,  
__And I've been trying to find what's been in my mind a__s the days keep turning into night._

* * *

"We never should have come here. I can't believe she ever trusted you!"

"Listen here, witch-"

"Don't you _witch_ me, I swear-"

"Enough!" Elijah's voice boomed out over the stone stairway that Klaus and Bonnie were having their screaming match in.

Klaus fought back the urge to rip the Anchor girl's head off. She'd become a brave little thing now that she essentially could not die. He wondered what ripping her head off would actually do… would it grow back? Reattach via magical lasso? Would it just keep yelling at him, a head without a body? No way to find out, as Caroline would have _his _head for it when she woke up.

"Can we all try to calm down please?" Elijah tried to placate them.

"My best friend is lying unconscious up there because you couldn't play nice with one stupid coven," Bonnie continued to complain loudly. "I told her you would ruin this trip."

"Well then perhaps you shouldn't have come, hmm?" Klaus offered.

That didn't go over well. "And send Caroline down here on her own? No matter how much I hate this ridiculous Mardis Gras crap, I wasn't going to let her run around your city alone. No way. And I was right too, just look what happened!"

Nothing she said was untrue, which made it all the more aggravating. Caroline had arrived in New Orleans for an innocent Mardis Gras experience, and he hadn't even known she was here for the first three days of her trip. He had run into her in the middle of a parade of all things. She'd caught sight of him through the crowd, stopped dead, and then just laughed and carried on dancing. Klaus had never seen her so carefree, but he supposed that was bound to happen when they were no longer locked on separate sides of the battle over good and doppelganger. Plus, vacations made everyone more amenable. Or so he'd hoped.

Unable to stay away, he'd invited her to see his side of the city, and surprisingly, she'd accepted. They'd toured the French Quarter's supernatural side, and Caroline had been congenial and friendly, if a little skittish. Their time together during his brief visit to Mystic Falls had changed their relationship completely, and Caroline's behavior had reflected that.

Still, It had been nice.

And then it had gone very, very wrong.

"We could all be overreacting," Elijah inched between them, "There's a good chance Caroline could suffer no adverse effects. She could be fine."

"Yeah, sure," Bonnie replied sarcastically, "I'm sure that voodoo spell Gena-whatever hit her with was all puppies and rainbows."

Klaus growled at the memory of Caroline being struck down. "_Genevieve_ will be dealt with, and whatever spell she used will be reversed. I assure you."

"Well if you assure me, then it must be true."

Klaus fisted his hands tight, imagining they were wrapped around the Bennett witch's throat.

A terrified scream from upstairs broke off what would have probably led to a violent confrontation.

Klaus knew that scream, and he wasted no time flashing upstairs to the bedroom where Caroline had been resting. Every possible awful scenario flitted in and out of his mind. Magical torture? Was Genevieve's spell even more nefarious than he'd expected? An intruder? Had one of Marcel's less loyal cohorts finally decided to break ranks with an attack on Klaus' guests?

There were a thousand things that could cause Caroline to scream out in fear like that, but the one he found was the least likely.

Bursting through the French doors, he found Caroline curled up on the corner of the bed, her face in her hands. On the floor across the room, one of the maids that kept the place clean lay dying. Blood poured out of a gaping bite wound on her neck, and she lifted a single bloody hand to Klaus, begging. He disregarded it, heading straight for the frightened vampire on the bed.

"Caroline?" he sat on the edge of the mattress, careful not to touch her. "What's wrong?"

She didn't pull her hands away from her face, she only shook her head fiercely and tried to burrow deeper into the covers.

"I can't fix it if you don't tell me," he persuaded her. "Just say something, sweetheart."

Caroline pulled in a shuddering breath, and from beneath her hands, her muffled voice spoke. "Sh-sh-she's dead, isn't she? I-I didn't mean to…"

Klaus furrowed a brow at that. Who… oh the maid. He turned to peek at the dying woman again and noticed, yes, she would be dead soon. Apparently Caroline had been hungry when she'd woken up, and the maid had been in a 'wrong time wrong place' kind of situation. He got up from his perch, rolling his eyes at Caroline's moral dramatics. She could have just healed the woman herself.

A few drops of blood later, the maid was up and alive, compelled and none the wiser. He presented her to Caroline, who peeked through her fingers to see.

"See?" he motioned to the woman's vacant expression. "Like it never happened."

When Caroline only responded with shocked silence, he sent the maid away. She had more work to do after all. Returning to his crying guest, Klaus again tried to pull answers out of her.

"Are you feeling all right, love?"

"I…"

Caroline finally pulled her hands away from her blood stained face, and Klaus noticed that her eyes were still a monstrous red, and her fangs were pressing into her bottom lip like she was still starving. He tried not to feel thoroughly aroused at seeing her like this, but it was a rare sight for him. Caroline in all her vampiric glory was a more powerful aphrodisiac than he'd ever known.

Still, he fought down the urge to lay her down on the bed and have his way with her. That had been a one-time thing, she had been more than clear. And anyways, the fear still plain on her face killed the mood a bit.

"Would you like more blood? Klaus asked gently.

Caroline shook her head, terrified of the thought. "I… I can't make it go away. What am I? Who am I? _Who am I?!_"

She practically sobbed out those final words, and Klaus felt the world stop on a dime. This was so much worse than any of his other paranoid theories. Caroline wasn't damaged or in pain or in danger. She was all three. Whatever magical side effect Genevieve's spell had, it had stripped Caroline of everything that made her, her. His shocked silence was met with more crying, and eventually not-Caroline threw herself in his arms to sob into his shoulder. Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around her, hoping to at least calm her down.

"Holy shit." Bonnie's stunned voice echoed from the doorway.

How the bloody hell was he supposed to fix this?

* * *

Caroline tried her best to process the maelstrom of information coming at her. Juxtaposed with the literal vacuum of information inside her head.

Her mind was a complete blank. The basics were all there – language, motor skills, object identification, spatial reasoning – but everything else was just… gone. She wouldn't have known her own name if the man who'd fixed the dead lady on the floor hadn't told it to her. She wouldn't have known where the hell she even was if she hadn't looked out the window and seen Bourbon Street.

Her mind knew these things. That Bourbon Street was a staple of New Orleans, that the phone the man in front of her was speaking into was an iphone 6, and even that Obama was president. Useless bits of information about the world and the people in it were all right there at her fingertips.

But anything personal? Anything relevant to her life and her identity? Gone.

She listened to the man whisper away in an aggravated British accent. "No, not a single clue who she is," he sounded pissed, verging on murderous. "You find that witch, and you bring her to me, Elijah."

A few muffled sounds came back over the line and Caroline tried desperately to hear them. And just like that she could. "And what would you like me to do about Miss Bennett in the meantime? I won't be able to keep her away forever."

"You bloody well better try," the first man exclaimed. "Just until… just until I explain things, and then we'll go on from there."

"As you wish, brother."

A click told her that the call was over, and Caroline tried to pretend like she hadn't just been listening.

'Miss Bennett' must have been the girl who'd crashed in, spouting expletives at British man, ranting about how it was all his fault, and he was a plague on the planet or something. Another man had dragged her off too 'cool down' while the first had taken to pacing back and forth and typing vigorously on his phone. For the most part, he'd left her alone. Until now.

"Do you…" the man approached her slowly, and she tensed. He stopped. "Do you know my name?" Caroline shook her head. "I figured not. You can call me Klaus."

"I'm… Caroline?" her introduction came out as more of a question, and she hated it.

Klaus smiled sadly. "Yes, that's right."

"And you know me?"

"I do."

She had to stave off more tears. At least she wasn't totally alone. "Is this some sort of coma thing? Like that movie with Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams? I don't remember there being fangs and blood in that version, but I don't remember a hell of a lot right now anyway. Is that what's going on? Did I hit my head?"

Klaus held a hand up at her rambling, "First things first, you obviously remember insipid romantic comedies... but do you remember anything else? Where you were before this or why you attacked that maid?"

"No." she mumbled pathetically.

"Will you let me try to help you remember?" Klaus asked carefully.

She reached out and grabbed him, desperate for his offer. "Yes!"

He sat down next to her again, and his smile had an oddly calming effect on her. She noticed for the first time that he had two boyish dimples peeking out of his cheeks, making him seem younger somehow. Less intimidating. She fought the urge to press a finger into each of those dimples to point out their adorableness. Good thing too, because he kept up that smile as he tilted her chin towards him, looking deeply into her eyes.

"Caroline." Very suddenly, her mind got hazy, and all she could focus on was the sound of his voice. It was like it was in her head instead of outside of it. Filling up all the empty space. "You remember every detail of your life, from being human, to turning into a vampire, to your trip here and our confrontation with the witches. All of it is there in your memory, as if it never left. Tell me what you remember."

Caroline felt her brain trying to pull the details back. It was sharp and painful, but her mind stabbed and twisted and turned, searching for memories that just weren't there. Eventually she could not hold back a cry of pain at the acute torture.

In an instant, Klaus was gone from her head, and the pain abated.

"Caroline?"

"Vampire?" her voice sounded so small and afraid. "That's what I am, isn't it? A monster."

Klaus seemed disappointed that his attempt to restore her had failed, but he didn't say any more.

"Please tell me." she begged.

"I think," he carefully brushed her hair out of the way, "That I should start from the beginning."

* * *

"Breathe deeply, as slowly as possible." Elijah's annoyingly calm voice floated across the room.

Klaus raised his eyes from his book to watch the lesson taking place on the other end of his study. A pointless lesson, but one that Caroline had demanded on her second day as an amnesiac vampire. It seemed some things never changed.

"Breathing only makes me smell it more," Caroline whined. "How does that help?"

She made a swipe for the cup of blood on the table, but Elijah was too fast for her. "It slows the heartbeat, and thus the rush of blood to your face. Pushing back the physical signs first is most important to avoid exposure. It also gives you a focal point. Something else to concentrate on besides the hunger. Try again."

Caroline rolled her eyes, but set herself back to the task of resisting the cup of blood now resting in Elijah's hands.

Her features bled red as they always did when presented with fresh blood, but this time Caroline fought it back. Klaus watched, fascinated. He'd never met a vampire so dedicated to _not _feeding. It had never personally appealed to him, though he could deny himself with the best of them. 1000 years of practice did that for you. But to see Caroline, so young and so in control, resist out of pure force of will? It was a sight to behold.

"Good," Elijah praised her when she'd gotten full control of herself. "Now you just have to work on not reacting in the first place."

Caroline groaned, her head hitting desk in front of her. "Being a vampire is such a drag."

Bonnie laughed out loud, speaking up for the first time from her watchful position in the corner. "It used to be your favorite thing about yourself."

"Really?" Caroline's head shot back up. "Why?"

"Ah, ah, ah," Klaus warned Bonnie with a firm look, "No unnecessary personal details. She needs to work on remembering on her own. It's the only way we'll know if the spell is wearing off or not."

It was the one ground rule they'd all established, when it came to this impossible situation. They'd shared the basics with Caroline, building up her confidence and tamping down her fear. Her name was Caroline. She was a vampire. She was a good person. A witch had placed a spell on her. She was safe. They would figure this out. They'd given her just enough to feel in control and comfortable with the situation, but never the full story of who she was or who they were. Parents names, friends faces, favorite teachers, childhood bullies. These were all things stored in her long-term memory, and it was vital to see if they would come back on their own.

Which meant denying her a lot of information about her own history.

Caroline stuck her tongue out at him angrily, and he smirked to see such a relaxed gesture from her. Most often, Caroline had been on guard around him. Besides those few blissful hours in the woods last month, Caroline would never have been so at ease with him. But now she trusted him. Now they were… friends.

It was a bizarre change in dynamic, to be sure.

"Hearing about myself could jog my memory, did you ever think of that?" Caroline complained loudly.

"And hearing second hand accounts could influence any genuine memories you uncover," he countered. "We've had this discussion before, Caroline."

"Ugh, but do you know how frustrating it is to have no memory of anything? Anything! I don't know what my favorite flavor of ice cream is, or if I sleep on the left or right side of the bed. I don't know if I'm a girly-girl or a tomboy, or how much money is in my bank account right now. For the love of god, I don't even know my favorite sexual position!"

Klaus cleared his throat, choking back the lump that had caught there. He knew in explicit detail which position was her favorite, and without his will or consent, his mind conjured images of her is said position. Caroline adored being in control and in charge, so naturally she came hardest when she had him pinned beneath her, riding him like her life depended on it. Their coupling in the woods had ended up in that position many times. Her mouth had fallen open with cries of pleasure, her eyes had pinched shut tightly save for when they were locked on his, and her hands had been everywhere. On his wrists, on his chest, on her chest, between her legs. She'd been a vision.

And at the last moment, just before she'd fallen apart, she'd thrown her head back and arched harder than he'd ever seen, giving him an unobstructed view of every inch of her. She was perfect, and all his. Crying out his name among all the other exclamations of –

"Oh my god," Caroline's voice tore him away from his reminiscing and back to the present, "Am I a virgin?"

"No." - - "No." - - "No."

All three of them answered quickly, and Klaus' head snapped to Elijah rudely. One drunken night of sharing about his escapade with Caroline did not give his brother the right to chime in.

"Wow, that was fast." Caroline pouted at what she assumed to be her apparently well-known promiscuity.

Bonnie looked at both Original brothers dubiously, but refocused on Caroline. "Don't worry about the small stuff, just try to focus on the big picture."

"Easy for you to say, you probably remember how you lost it."

"How about we try another exercise?" Elijah offered.

"I'm bored with this exercise," Caroline groaned. "Can't we try feeding on people now?"

A heavy silence hung in the air, and Klaus watched Bonnie fight the urge to say something. He had to fight it down himself. Well, well. Wasn't this fascinating? Free of any outside influence or shame, Caroline was not so opposed to feeding on humans as she had been while under Stefan and Elena's thumb.

"What?" Caroline worried. "What did I say?"

Klaus stood up, walking to her side and offering her a hand. "Nothing. nothing at all. Why don't we do just that, sweetheart?"

She took his hand gladly, but Bonnie had decided to break her silence. "Maybe that's not such a great idea, Klaus?"

"Why ever not?" he kept his voice casual.

"Because Caroline's _preferences _right now might not be what they were before," Bonnie's firm stance bordered on angry. "I don't know if she'd want you pushing her in a certain direction that she might not appreciate later."

Caroline stood there, confused. "Easy, Bon. I think I'll rediscover what kind of blood I like on my own. No pushing necessary."

"That's not what I meant."

"Oh, go play judgment police somewhere else, witch," Klaus rolled his eyes. "Caroline can decide for herself what she wants."

Bonnie scoffed, "She absolutely cannot! She's not herself right now!"

"Okay, enough!" Caroline folded her arms. "This one is non-negotiable. Tell me what's up right now. What is this actually about?"

Klaus and Bonnie stayed locked in a staring contest, neither one willing to break the rules they'd laid out for themselves. If only because it would be used as ammunition against them later.

Elijah took pity on Caroline and stepped in. "I think what your friend and my brother are in disagreement over is whether or not you should be allowed to feed on humans. From what I understand, you fed exclusively from blood bags before, so as to diminish the risk of harming someone or taking advantage of them."

"Oh," Caroline stopped dead. "I didn't even think about blood bags."

"As well you shouldn't," Klaus interceded. "We are vampires. Predators. Humans are our food, and you shouldn't have to feel ashamed about that, no matter what mind-warping nonsense your previous tutors spouted at you."

"It's not nonsense, it's respect for human life, you psychotic-"

Bonnie cut herself off when Caroline firmly pushed the two of them apart. "Can I take a minute to form my own opinion please? Or is that asking too much?"

As a unit, they all three stepped back from her and stayed silent. Klaus watched Caroline mull it over in her mind. He could imagine the moral dilemma taking place there. Caroline cared deeply about human life, even strangers she'd never met. The old Caroline had superimposed herself on them when she saw an innocent being fed on. She'd once been that naïve, defenseless girl, taken in by a monster and made into a plaything. But Caroline now had none of those memories. All she had was objective truth. The fact that vampires had to feed, and humans were their food. The wheels turned over and over behind her eyes. Was there a humane way to do it? Was that humane way blood bags?

"I'm going to try feeding," Caroline spoke up finally, and Klaus couldn't hold back his triumphant grin. "NOT because I think humans are livestock," she leveled her gaze on him, "but because it's something I need to learn. Blood bags are great, but they're no exactly sold on every street corner. One day I'm going to be hungry, and I'm not going to have a bag. I'll have to feed. If I can't learn to feed from humans safely, then I might as well turn myself loose on the city right now."

Bonnie frowned, but kept her mouth shut. Caroline was right.

Klaus shook his head, still grinning. Trust Caroline to come up with the perfect middle ground answer for a black and white question.

"Well then," he offered his hand again, "Shall we?"

Caroline ignored the hand, breezing right past it and walking out the door. There was his Caroline. She was coming back, piece by piece.

* * *

Caroline Forbes - or was it Fordes? Damn last names were so hard to remember – was getting the hang of things. Slowly but surely.

She'd mastered speed and hearing, and the strength was getting easier to handle too. The bloodlust was hardest of all, but there was something deep inside her, pushing her to master it. To best it. Control was key.

Klaus had been a help and a hindrance in this regard.

"You're biting too hard," he corrected her, watching as she fed from a club hopper, who just so happened to try to slip a roofie into her drink. "And you're too close to the jugular. The deeper the wound, the faster the blood flows. Most of it will end up on the pavement, and you'll have to stop sooner."

Caroline let up, licking the blood off her lips. Klaus' eyes flickered there briefly before he focused back on the girl he'd taken for himself.

"Like this," he instructed, tilting the woman's neck to the side and scoring her skin with his fangs. Blood gushed at just the right pace, allowing him to take a few good, long pulls. He made sure to keep his eyes open though, trained on Caroline.

Breathing deeply, Caroline watched, her heart beating faster at the sight. She bit her lip and tried to ignore the lust that raged in her as she watched Klaus feed. That was a vampire thing. Had to be. Biting and blood and sex were all jumbled up in her brain somewhere with her hormones. Still, all she wanted to do was latch onto that girl and never stop, and then maybe latch onto Klaus. When he was finished, Klaus lifted his head and pulled the girl's jacket up to cover the wound.

"Show off." She rolled her eyes.

Klaus compelled her to leave, stepping back towards Caroline and her meal. "If it's too deep," he ran a finger over the cut she'd made on her victime, "Then you either kill them, or heal them. He'll bleed out on his own without your blood."

"Maybe he deserves it." Caroline considered, thinking back to the date rape drug he'd tried to sneak past her. How many other girls had fallen victim to him? How many had been deprived of their free will to say no? To push him off? How many had had to lay there at take his unwanted advances, unable to make a sound or lift a finger. The idea made her viciously, irrationally angry. For a second, she considering snapping the asshole's neck right there. And then... it was gone. "Then again, that's not really my decision to make, is it?"

She sunk her teeth into her wrist and pressed it to his lips, watching the puncture wounds on his neck heal back up.

"You're too forgiving," Klaus sighed.

"Which is lucky for you." she noted, and then wondered bizarrely where that had come from. What had she forgiven Klaus for? Why did she need to? Mystery.

She could see a flash of hope in his eyes, but then it was gone. "Indeed."

She pulled her would be rapist to face her, looking him dead in the eye. "Go home and sleep it off. You won't remember any of this. Tomorrow, walk your ass to the nearest police precinct and admit to every awful thing you've ever done. I'm talking everything, even misdemeanors. While you're serving out your very long prison sentence, you'll fill your days reading every book on feminism you can find. Go."

Compulsion was such a neat trick.

She watched the boy head off, dazed and confused, and tried to feel good about her choice. The urge to kill was part of her, but she didn't have to let it win. Even when she wanted it to.

The cool night air got a little warmer as Klaus stepped in close behind her. "Still hungry?"

His whispered words in her ear had her gulping a bit. She somehow mumbled out her own response, "Like you wouldn't believe."

Together they reentered the club that served as their feeding ground for the night, and Caroline watched Klaus go to work. Sometimes he downright scary, but when he wanted, he also had charisma and charm coming out of his ears. He easily snagged humans in his net.

Part of her loved to watch him, and the other part felt… off.

From the moment she'd woken up, she'd felt both strangely at ease and on edge around this man. The situation only worsened when she realized he would not explain to her why she felt that way. His relationship with her, and everyone else's for that matter, was a mystery. In the few days that Caroline had spent without her memories, she'd taken to guessing at who exactly these people were to her.

Bonnie had been the easiest. She was fiercely protective and loving, but there were no intimate gestures or longing looks from the dark skinned witch, so she'd ruled out lovers fairly quickly. Caroline herself felt no physical attraction towards the girl, but there had been something else. An emotional bond that ran deep. Bonnie was clearly her best friend. Almost like a sister.

Elijah had been harder. He'd been a brick wall, giving away nothing. He knew strangely intimate details about her, but he seemed not to care about her either way. The fact that he was Klaus' brother filled in not one, but two blanks. He clearly knew so much about her from Klaus.

Which meant that Klaus was _very_ important in some way.

Sometimes he looked at her as though she hung the sun and stars in the sky, and other times he seemed to want to strangle her. He somehow knew what she was thinking before she did all too often, like he had with feeding. He'd known it was what she wanted, regardless of his personal preferences. When she asked questions about home, he would skillfully guide the conversation to places he knew she hadn't been. Describing them with such enthusiasm and beauty, it was contagious. How could home compare to the exotic lands of Istanbul and Egypt?

Worst of all were the times she would catch him staring at her with pure, unadulterated heat in his eyes.

He wanted her. It was more than obvious.

So why did he pretend otherwise? Why did he keep his distance and hide their past from her? There was a past, she was certain, and it was juicy. Yes, it had taken Caroline all of three days to figure out who Klaus Mikaelson was to her.

He was obviously the love of her life.

So why did they all try to keep it a secret from her?

"Perfect," Klaus' crisp accented voice filled her ear, "You always were a fast learner."

She lifted her head from a goth girl's neck, finally feeling sated after three days of fasting and small cups of blood. The cut she'd made was perfectly positioned, and just shallow enough to heal on its own. One more round of compulsion, and the girl was off, back to her bed with instructions to get some Vitamin B12 in her system as soon as possible.

Caroline turned around, facing Klaus proudly. His eyes dropped to her lips, where drops of blood still stained her pink skin. Slowly, Caroline licked the excess red away, making sure to leave one last speck.

As expected, Klaus moved forward, wiping the last of it from the corner of her mouth. Behind his eyes she could see lust and love and so much more, but he held it back. As always. Tempting fate – and his control – Caroline let her tongue sneak out to lick at the blood, catching lightly on his fingertip.

Klaus sucked in a breath, eyes shooting up to hers. Bingo.

He moved forward like he was going to kiss her, and Caroline's eyes drifted shut as she waited for it. And waited, and waited, and waited. Opening her eyes, she found Klaus' closed right in front of her, but his face was scrunched up in a frown. He was holding it off. His need for her.

After another second, he pulled away, righting the precarious balance between them.

"Time to head in for the night I think." He smiled like nothing had happened.

"Yeah," Caroline sighed. "Let's go home."

She strolled off in the direction of the compound, not catching the surprised look on Klaus' face at her simple statement. She'd called his house home. And she hadn't even realized it.

* * *

The witch in question, the one who could restore Caroline's memories, seemed to have fled New Orleans, which had caused a hybrid sized temper tantrum when Klaus found out.

Caroline couldn't be too rushed about it though.

The memories _were_ coming back, just like Klaus had anticipated.

The first one had been a touching moment with her mom, the woman her mind remembered as Liz. Learning to ride a bike on a chilly fall afternoon. From there, she'd remember the moment she'd truly bonded with her mother. Over her vampirism of all things.

The rest of her family ties remained a mystery, but that one was important, she knew.

Then had come silly things. A school dance, a good grade, and drunken bonfire in the woods. She'd scraped her knee and bled for three days after that one.

She remembered faces of old friends like Elena and Jeremy, and then newer ones like Stefan and Enzo. Dance parties and life or death rescues flitted in and out of her head, back and forth. These people reached out to her, telling her that her life was waiting. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind.

The memories that had caught her most by surprise were the more risqué ones. First had been a tan, dark haired boy who had made her head spin on a makeshift bed in a cave of some sorts. Reunion sex, her memories had filled in for her. Then a sweet blonde quarterback with the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. He had been… _talented_ with his fingers.

But the one she most wanted to see eluded her. Where were her saucy memories of Klaus? She was sure they existed, she even got flashes of them in her dreams, but for some reason they would not surface completely.

She knew they had to be there. She and Klaus were boyfriend and girlfriend or husband and wife or eternally undead life partners; whatever the hell vampires were. Right? She could feel it in her bones. They belonged to each other. So why couldn't she remember their first date or their first kiss or the first time he told her he loved her? Caroline wanted to remember. And she was getting… frustrated.

"Hey, are you awake?" she whispered into Klaus' room that night, tiptoeing towards his bed. "Klaus?"

She got a muffled grunt as her answer, and she figured maybe he hadn't been up after all.

"Mmhm do you mwant?" Klaus spoke from under his pillows. "Something wrong?"

"No," Caroline climbed over the edge of the bed. "Just a weird dream."

Klaus sat up, trying to shake himself awake. It was adorable. "More memories?"

"You were in this one," she crawled closer, noticing how he scooted back warily. He seemed to have caught on to the fact that she was in his bed, wearing a very small nightgown, and he was shirtless. This was all heading somewhere decidedly against the rules.

"Was I?" Klaus sat up straighter. "How about you tell me about it over breakfast tomorrow?"

Caroline pouted. Seems she would have to take matters into her own hands here. "You don't want to hear now? We were in the woods, and it was kind of cold out," she inched forward, getting close enough to see him through the dark. He was tense and still, but listening intently. "The funny thing was though, it was cold out, but I still felt warm. Almost hot, actually."

"Really?" Klaus's hands had fisted in the sheets now. "Fascinating."

"I thought so," Caroline continued on. "I couldn't hear what we were talking about, but out of nowhere, I started kissing you. And you kissed me back. A lot. I don't remember what happened next, do you?"

She was right next to him now, and she watched him fight to keep his face turned away. "Caroline…"

"I can't ever seem to make the dream go farther than that," she murmured. Throwing caution to the wind, she lifted herself on top of Klaus, straddling the nervous hybrid in one move. "Remind me?"

His hands shot to her hips, trying to lift her back off of him, but Caroline pressed down urgently. She leaned forward and captured his lips with hers, kissing him just like she remembered from her dream. Soft and urgent, with an added grind of her hips that was all her own.

She might have held the high ground here, but Klaus's superior strength won out eventually and he held her off him. "Caroline, you don't know the full story here."

"Then remind me," she pleaded, attaching her lips to his neck with little nips. His skin tasted perfect, and as the flavor hit her tongue she wondered how she'd ever forgotten it. "I want to remember, Klaus."

The hands on her hips squeezed tightly, and she gave one more good push onto his growing erection. His will broke, and he held her tight, pulling her more firmly onto him and kissing her with passion. She thrashed in his lap, loving the friction as they moved against one another. Caroline cried out when Klaus trailed small bites and kisses down her neck, never stopping that wonderful motion of her hips. Wanting to give him more access, She pulled down the straps of her nightgown, letting it pool at her waist and exposing her bare skin to him.

"Caroline," Klaus groaned at the sight of her. He quickly took a nipple in his mouth, making her pant even harder.

"I knew it," she breathed between moans, smiling victoriously. "I knew we were in love."

Klaus stopped suddenly, and she cried out at the loss. She tried to get him to continue with another sinful slide of her hips, but he held her in place, firmly this time.

"We… we're not in love, Caroline." He admitted softly, and it seemed to pain him.

"It's okay," she tried to reassure him, "I know we're together, you don't have to hide it anymore."

His jaw locked, and he seemed angry for a moment. "We're not together."

"Of course we are."

"No," he lifted her off of him, settling her back against the sheets. "We're not. And this can't go on until you remember why. It's not right."

"But… but I thought-"

"You thought wrong. You should go back to your room now." His dismissal was harsh and abrupt and very clear. She was not wanted here.

Pulling her clothes back up around her, Caroline climbed out of the bed and headed towards the door. One last look at Klaus showed his head in his hands, looking almost defeated. Sad. Not for the first time, Caroline raged at the loss of her own self. There were so many holes, and so many details missing. She just wanted them back so she could start living again.

* * *

Klaus spent the rest of the night fruitlessly seeking sleep. He ached to call Caroline back, throw her down on the bed, and drive into her, damn the consequences. He even considered pretending to do so while sorting himself out.

But both options would be a disservice to the girl he claimed to love.

And that was the wrench in the whole damn wheelhouse wasn't it? He loved her. He loved her deeply at wholly, in a way that threatened to destroy him if he let it. But she didn't love him. Not really. Even when she'd given in to her darkest desires, she'd never said the words. Because maybe it had never been about love. Not for her at least. And now that she couldn't remember all the things that kept her from loving him, it was even worse.

Klaus could see how much she wanted him. He could see her coming to care for him and trust him in a way she never had before.

That was largely due to the way he looked after her and refrained from all those nefarious behaviors that usually sent her running. He was taking advantage of this unfortunate turn of events, to show her a different side of him. One he wasn't even sure could last, but still.

And Caroline responded. She crawled into his bed and kissed him like she meant it.

She was completely convinced that the two of them had been together. In love.

It nearly broke his heart to realize that one day she would remember they weren't. Her memories were coming back to her – probably what had prompted this little nighttime adventure in the first place - and eventually she would be able to recall everything. Then her heart would close to him again. Like it always had. And that was surely the second reason for her newly developed trust and feelings. She didn't know all the terrible things he'd done to her and to others, and while that ignorance might have been bliss, it also made her decisions only half-real. Half-Caroline.

Klaus would be damned if he took her to bed while she was anything less than she was, but a small part of him whispered that maybe he should anyways. It might be his only chance after all. He didn't delude himself into thinking that Caroline would want to dance on the dark side again once she remembered herself. Not for another century at least. Perhaps he should take her now, like she wanted him to, and face her outrage and disgust later? Perhaps not.

So he sat up all night. Reeling back and forth between noble heartbreak and selfish destruction. And wishing Caroline were here to find a middle ground for him, like she always did.

* * *

About a week later, Bonnie Bennett got the shock of her life when her best friend in the whole world, uber-control freak and judgmental head case, Caroline Forbes, broke into the Original's sitting room and made a beeline for one Klaus Mikaelson.

Without preamble or context, Caroline shoved a stunned Klaus onto one of the couches, straddled him, and kissed the life out of the man.

"Umm…" Bonnie looked to Elijah, who had averted his gaze out of respect.

"Shall we leave then?" Eljiah had the gall to ask.

Caroline pulled away from the kiss, flipping her hair out of her way to get a better angle before diving in again. She never took her lips off the hybrid in front of her when she mumbled, "Yes please."

Bonnie would normally have pulled her friend off the murderous Original, kicking and screaming – we do no have sex with sociopaths, Caroline – but one look at Klaus' squirming attempts to get Caroline off warned her away from the idea. He would not take advantage, she could trust that.

It didn't keep her from listening from the other side of the door though.

"I thought I made myself clear about this, love."

Caroline's powerful voice (the one she reserved for slacking cheerleaders and lackluster dance committees) answered him firmly. "My name is Caroline Forbes, born October 10, 1992 to Bill and Liz Forbes just outside the Mystic Falls town line because my dad had the dumbass idea to go camping the week before my mom was due. You're Klaus Mikaelson, a vampire-werewolf-hybrid-sized pain in my ass most days, and you've killed more people than I could probably imagine, including some that I really cared about. I know me, and I know you."

"You… remember? Everything?" Klaus disbelieving voice was practically a whisper next to Caroline's previous speech.

"It came back in pieces at first, and then all together. And here's the thing: you can be a good man when I need you to be Klaus. You've proven that. Now you just need to prove that you can be a good man when I don't. So," she took a deep breath, "What's it's going to be?"

"I-" Klaus was actually speechless. "Do you mean that? You truly want to give this a chance?"

Caroline made an exasperated noise. "You didn't actually believe I came down here for Mardis Gras did you?"

There was a silent moment where Bonnie couldn't imagine what the hell was going on. A staring contest? A sudden switch to sign language? Maybe they were both dead and she should go check…

A sudden crash of furniture – sounded like a wall breaking actually – made Bonnie jump out of her skin. It was followed by Caroline's high-pitched moan and a rather lewd grunt from Klaus, which Bonnie took as her cue to leave. The sound of their rough sex faded away, and she walked her witchy ass right out of the compound. Maybe she'd go on a walking tour for the rest of the afternoon. Or two. Or seven.

* * *

_Now I see clearly it's you I'm looking for, all of my days,_  
_Soon I'll smile I know I'll feel this loneliness no more, all of my days,_  
_For I look around me, and it seems you've found me, and it's coming into sight, as the days keep turning into night._

* * *

**I truly tried to make this as fluffy as possible, but you guys know me. The heavy stuff just sneaks in there sometimes. **

**Enjoy! **


	15. Howl

**Title**: Howl

**Disclaimer**: Anything TVD or TO related belongs to the CW.

_**Summary: This is the fluffiest thing you'll ever read, I swear. But because I'm me, I had to insert a little bit of mythology in here too. It's also not really in keeping with the them of this fic, but screw it. And yes, Candice's recent photo shoot did inform her AU character in this little ficlet. **_

* * *

_If you could only see the beast you've made of me, __I held it in but now it seems you've set it running free.  
__My fingers claw your skin, try to tear my way in, y__ou are the moon that breaks the night for which I have to howl, howl._

* * *

After his own transition, Klaus liked to think he was spreading the hybrid gospel by traveling around North America, turning wolves as he went.

First there was Kansas, with Mindy and her pack of thirty. Who knew the heartland was a veritable breeding ground for werewolves? Next was North Dakota, which provided a measly five, but Seattle contingent made up for it with sixteen new sired servants. After leaving Portland, he'd headed down to California, where werewolf sightings were harder to come by. That didn't stop him from scouring the state for the pack he'd heard existed in a small county just north of Los Angeles.

It took him weeks to finally track them down, probably due to the pack's small size and incredibly discreet nature. Seven runaway teenagers, all living in an abandoned mansion on the edge of town. Keeping to the woods on full moons and never separating after the turn. Smart. If he hadn't been hunting them, they would have remained undetected for years.

When he got a closer look, it became obvious why they stayed so close together after the change. They were protecting one of their own.

Werewolves were formidable, beastly, vicious monsters when they transformed. Evolution had ensured that for the continuation of their species. But every now and then, once a century perhaps, evolution would spit out an anomaly. And this pack had been lucky enough to find one. A wolf so small and harmless, it could have qualified as a pup, no matter the fact that the girl locked inside was more of a woman than a child. Her coat was shock white, and she nipped at the others heels occasionally to remind them she was there. They circled her as they ran, and she kept up marvelously for her size.

After watching them return to human form, Klaus approached them with his offer, as usual.

And like all the others, the pack had submitted to him in exchange for release from the curse of the moon. All except one of course.

Wearing cutoff jeans and daisies in her hair, Caroline Forbes reminded him more of the flower children of the 60s than a vicious supernatural being. She refused to submit. The insane little girl would rather break her bones every few weeks over and over again than join his ranks.

"I'd rather die than become a mindless slave to violence and bloodlust," she preached at him. "I might be cursed, but at least I'm in control."

"It's not so bad as all that," he tried to persuade her, turning on the charm. "Come on, take a chance, Caroline. Get to know me. I dare you."

"Never."

Naturally, he was obsessed.

Klaus was a collector of rare things after all, and he couldn't understand why she of all people would refuse his gracious gift. She had all the downsides of being a werewolf with none of the advantages. She could not defend herself, she could outrun a predator, and she certainly couldn't inflict any damage with her tiny, ineffectual teeth. Becoming a hybrid would save her life and make her strong.

And yet even after her entire pack had turned, she still refused.

So Klaus took the choice away from her. Snatched her right off the path when she was out for her morning run, forced his blood down her throat, and snapped her delicate little flower child neck. Give peace a chance, love.

And when she woke, boy was he in for a rude awakening.

"Drink this," he offered her a small paper cup filled with doppelganger blood. "You'll feel much better."

"Go fuck yourself."

Well, well. She certainly had a mouth on her.

"You'll die without it."

Caroline only glared. "I did say that's what I wanted. It would be a little ironic if I turned out of be all bark and no bite, wouldn't it?"

Klaus smiled. Didn't she know she only made herself more appealing to him with behavior like this? Still, he needed hybrids and she would prove to be an impressive one. He could already see the fire inside of her, and the ruthless force of nature she could one day be if fostered properly.

"I said _drink_." he made sure to lock eyes with her, conveying that this was not a request. It was an order from her sire. She had to obey.

"And I told you to go perform sexual acts on your own person. Keep up, vampire."

Klaus narrowed his eyes. She had disobeyed. No one disobeyed.

Unless…

Caroline was also the first werewolf he'd come across who had not voluntarily made the change. The inbred hatred for vampires that all wolves shared had nothing on the promise of a life without turning. Every wolf he'd approached had accepted the offer. But not Caroline. She'd fought tooth and nail against the turn, and thus she felt no gratitude for her freedom from the curse of the moon. The oh-so-important feeling of being in debt to her sire… it was not there. And thus Klaus learned of a very important loophole in his plan for a perfect hybrid army.

The sire bond required the change to be voluntary. The gratitude that cemented the bond between sire and progeny only worked if in their heart of hearts, they truly wanted to be free. And Caroline had not.

Well… fuck.

* * *

It had taken a hell of a lot of cajoling and persuasion to get Caroline to follow him back to Mystic Falls, but after forcing Elena's blood down her throat, she didn't have much of an option.

He couldn't allow an unsired hybrid out in the world. They might have been his minions, but they were also his responsibility. Heaven forbid he turn her loose and she attract Mikael's attention. The easy solution would be to kill her. Put her down like a diseased dog. But Klaus couldn't bring himself to do it. It would be like destroying a priceless piece of art simply because the hues weren't quite right. It was no less beautiful for the flaw, only more... irksome.

And 'irksome' was the perfect word to describe Caroline Forbes.

She had no obligation to him, but she followed her pack – her family – across the country with him regardless. And she made sure to make his life a living a hell.

"So you've got an entire vampire family that you just cart around with you in coffins?" she raised a judgmental eyebrow at him. Where his other hybrids were busy unloading supplies from the construction truck -_ like he'd asked_ \- Caroline had decided to annoy him all afternoon. He didn't dignify her with a response. "Isn't that little... oh, you know, morbid?"

"Thank you for the input, darling," he returned his gaze to the mansion's renovation plans in front of him. "Do shut up."

Caroline sniffed, but plugged on with her annoying chatter anyways, "This house only has four guest bedrooms."

"Well spotted, why are you still here?"

"I'm just saying," she prattled on, "Five coffins, four bedrooms. Seem to me like you might want to check your math.

"If I remember correctly, _you're_ the one whose arithmetic skills are need of further study."

She let out an insulted huff at his jab. "Hey! That video made it look like you could have never ending chocolate, ask anyone! Besides, that wasn't math, that was some crazy voodoo magic."

Klaus couldn't stop himself from laughing. He found he was doing that more and more with her lately. Laughing. Humoring her. Adjusting his expectations. Klaus had never factored in what it would be like to have a companion who neither feared nor respected him like his family and underlings did. Caroline harbored no seething hatred for him - she'd seen him treat her pack with camaraderie and decency - but also no healthy dose of fear or overblown hero worship. She simply existed in his orbit, as her own person. It was... a strange feeling.

"If you're just going to ignore me, then I'm off to go find something unspeakably horrible to do," Caroline trudged towards the door, leaving him to his renovations. "On a scale of one to ten, how angry would you be if someone shattered all those french doors you had imported from Europe?"

"Don't even think about it, Caroline."

She pulled a mock grimace. "So like a seven? Because that may or may not have been how I spent my morning. Whoops, gotta run."

In a flash she was gone, and Klaus felt that bubbling rage return. Caroline might not hate him, but that didn't mean she wasn't out for a little revenge. Of the most tedious kind. After punching an angry hole in one of his new walls, Klaus got on the phone with his vendor across the pond. It appeared he needed to place a new order.

* * *

When the house was finally, _finally_ finished, he figured Caroline would run out of ways to inconvenience him.

He was wrong.

Coming home from another battle of wills with Stefan, he heard a giant clatter of wood on wood coming from his art gallery. Someone had knocked over an easel, and he had a good guess who. Flashing to the secluded room where he created his masterpieces, Klaus found utter destruction and mayhem.

Canvases had been torn apart and chewed, paintbrushes snapped in half and drooled on, and all of his charcoal sketching pencils lay smashed on the floor. Worst of all was the goopey mess of expensive paint that had been mixed and spread around the room like it was nothing more than a child's finger painting project.

He seethed, walking to the center of the mess, and finding four delicate little paw prints prancing away from it all.

Klaus followed them to the back of the room, trying not to pay attention to the amount of damage done to his oasis, until he found the culprit. Caroline, in all her tiny white wolf glory, sat amid the chaos, chewing on a throw pillow from the chaise that was older than her grandparents. Every now and then she would give it a good shake, tearing the fluff right out of the thing.

"Caroline," Klaus growled, hoping to assert some dominance in the situation.

She dropped the pillow, looking up at him and cocking her head the side as if to say 'yeah, so?'

"Change back right now, you ungrateful little mongrel."

Her defiance continued, and she simply rolled onto her back, her tongue lolling out of the side of her mouth as she smiled up at him.

Klaus felt his anger build, the blood rushing to his face and his eyes flashing yellow. "I'll turn you into a coat, you little-" he lunged for her, but Caroline's size was her ally in a confined space like this, and she dodged him easily.

He turned quickly, noticing that she refused to run. She was turning this into a game, the little gremlin. He noticed that her pristine white coat was smeared with specks of blue, and his heart sank. Not the navy based azure. Not the impossibly particular hue that had taken weeks to track down, and even longer to import. Only six mixtures of that treasure existed in the world, and she'd bloody rolled in one of them. The bitch.

Her tailed wagged, and she yipped at him in good nature, almost daring him to try to grab her again. 'Catch me if you can,' her squeaky little bark seemed to say.

If you've ever wondered what a 1000-year-old vampire chasing a puppy through his tastefully decorated mansion looks like, just ask the five or so hybrids that stumbled upon the sight. Caroline skidding across the marble entryway, her little legs falling out from under her on the slippery floor, and Klaus diving after her, murder in his eyes. It was certainly a spectacle.

It was a win-lose situation, really. He might have caught Caroline, but he lost a good portion of respect from his chuckling minions.

* * *

_Be careful of the curse that falls on young lovers, starts so soft and sweet and turns them to hunters,_  
_A man who's pure of heart and says his prayers by night, may still become a wolf when the autumn moon is bright._

* * *

**I figured we could all do with some fluffy little silliness while we brace for impact with this interview tomorrow. **

**Enjoy the fluff while you can, kiddos, I hope it put everyone in a cute, happy mood! **


	16. Lesson Learned

**Title**: Lesson Learned

**Disclaimer**: Anything TVD related belongs to the CW

_**Summary: A continuation of the wolf/puppy Caroline oneshot. You guys are going to kill me with this thing because there is absolutely going to be a part three to wrap it up.**_

* * *

_Now you act so surprised to hear what you already know,_  
_And all you really had to do was ask, I'd have told you straight away_

* * *

The wet earth of Virginia soil slipped and slid underneath her paws, tangling in with grass and branches and other debris that recent storms had left. The dense foliage whizzed past her at an alarming rate, threatening a serious headache if she wasn't careful.

Caroline might have been small, but she was _fast_.

Something that was incredibly important at this juncture in her life, as she had a much larger, much angrier wolf on her tail.

And she meant _on her tail. _Every now and then, she would feel Klaus' sharp teeth slide across her hind quarters as he made a grab for her. But what she lost in size, she made up for in agility. It was ten times harder to grab something that was difficult to see and could maneuver around corners you didn't even know were there.

The air around her seemed to change after her last dodge, and Caroline stopped short.

She no longer heard Klaus' heavy paws beating behind her, or his angry growl in her ear. She could barely even smell the lingering scent of him on the air. It was like he'd just vanished.

For one blissful, delusional moment, she thought she'd lost him.

Wrong.

In flash of fur and fangs, Caroline went down, pinned to the forest floor beneath a wolf at least six times her size. He easily held her down with a single paw, and no matter how she twisted and struggled, she could not escape. The last thing Caroline heard was a vicious snarl as Klaus' razor sharp teeth came lunging at her.

* * *

To properly explain her mad dash, Caroline would have had to tell you that a few hours earlier, she'd been up to no good. As always.

Walking on two feet for a change, Caroline had waltzed right into Klaus' obscene mansion, in search of the one thing that would absolutely enrage him. His little feud with the town's resident vampires would keep him away all day, providing the perfect opportunity for Caroline to cause a little mischief.

"If I were trapped in a coffin, where would I be…?" Caroline muttered to herself, tapping her nails on the newly installed wooden banister.

The basement. Duh.

It was a form of burial after all, and if you were going to store corpses somewhere, underground seemed fitting.

Traipsing down to the house's cellar, Caroline made sure to accidentally bump a few very expensive wine and scotch bottles off their racks. Whoops. Finally, she found what she was looking for. Five coffins, all in a row, just waiting for her to come along.

The first revealed a man who looked older than the new world, with long flowing hair and mothballs all over his clothes. Ugh, vampires. They were old as dirt. The second was a beautiful young girl, dressed in a prom dress. Poor thing, Klaus had probably taken her down while she was getting ready for a night of fun. The third wouldn't open at all. Strange. The final two held Klaus' other brothers, both of whom were rocking the ruggedly handsome vibe. Or at least they would be, Caroline assumed, if they weren't all grey and gross looking.

"Eeny, meeny, miny…" Caroline paced back and forth, debating which Original to wake.

It was as simple as yanking the dagger out, she knew that much. But waking more than one would put her at a serious disadvantage. Caroline didn't like to be outnumbered. Waking the right one was key. They needed to be angry enough to want to make Klaus' life hell, but not so angry that she accidentally got her heart ripped out of her chest when they rose from the dead.

That ruled out the ancient one, he'd for sure be pissed as hell when woke up hundreds of years later.

The girl seemed a bad choice too. She was put down too recently. Chances were she'd be pretty damn forgiving. Plus, something about her just screamed 'bitch.'

Caroline felt like the Goldilocks of deadly monsters. Not too hot, not too cold. She wanted one just right.

She stared at the two brothers in front of her. One was older, dressed in a sharp suit, with a refined haircut. Mature. Serious. He'd be able to see past his rage to spare her life, she was sure. The other was young. Very young, but dressed as if it were a century ago. There was something delightfully wicked about the tilt of his lips, even in death. He looked like he might wake up chuckling, however maniacal he turned out to be. Not a safe option, but not a boring one either. In a word, _perfect_.

"Moe," Caroline finally chose, and she yanked the dagger out of her preferred Original.

Two hours later, Caroline was still waiting.

She groaned heavily, looking down at the quiet coffin. "Ugh, wake up already, I don't have all day. Then again..." she mused to herself. "I mean, I have all decade, all century, all eternity when it comes right down to it. But I'm a millennial, which means I need instant gratification, not a three hour wait for an anti-climatic rise from the dead. Seriously, twitch or something if you're going to be another twenty minutes, and I'll go out for Starbucks-"

A hand shot up and clenched around her throat, effectively cutting her off.

"Would you stop that incessant prattling?" the young Original's voice croaked. "I have a headache that would put Goliath on his knees…"

One quick shove dislodged the immortal's hand from around her neck, and Caroline sighed in relief. He might have had 1000 years on her, but he was weak, and he'd gone too long without blood. He was no match for her if she was smart about it.

"Took you long enough." she complained as she threw a blood bag at him.

He caught it, looking at the bag like it was a space ship. Eventually he caught the scent of what was before him though. Blood. Food. Life. He tore into it.

"Rising from the dead, as you so beautifully put it, is a bit harder in practice than in theory," he mumbled through a mouthful of blood. "Perhaps I can show you one day?"

"I'll pass." Caroline evaluated the young man before her. He didn't seem particularly angry or lethal, but if anyone was a master of the phrase 'a wolf in sheep's clothing' it was her. "I will take a thank you though."

He smirked at her. "You're a cheeky thing, aren't you? What's your name, love?"

"What's yours?"

"Kol…" the voice that answered did not belong to the contented youth before her, but the very surprised, _very_ pissed off Original big brother at the top of the cellar stairs. Klaus was home early, and she couldn't tell whether he was about to tear her to pieces or drop to the ground in shock.

Kol, as she now knew him, hopped out of his coffin with all that suppressed rage she hadn't been able to sense before. "Hello, brother. Long time."

Diving for cover was the best Caroline could do, as the two ancient siblings tore into each other in a flash of punches and kicks and hissing snarls. Most of the hits were too fast for her to catch, but the few that she managed to see set her on edge. Klaus was fighting with restraint. With a carefully tempered target of putting Kol down humanely. Kol had no such goal. He struck at Klaus like one would strike at an enemy you wanted to decimate. His violence was not out of anger it was pure rage. Rage and betrayal and more malice than Caroline had ever seen in a single person.

She ducked to avoid a crate of wine that Kol had launched at his brother. _This had been a mistake. She'd chosen wrong._

With a final yell, Klaus managed to wrap his arms around Kol from behind, fitting his brother's head into the curve of his elbow. With a sharp twist, Klaus snapped the boy's neck, and together they sank to the floor in a heap of tangled limbs.

From her spot underneath the locked coffin, Caroline let out a pathetic whimper.

As if he'd just remembered she was there, Klaus' eyes snapped up to hers. Shit.

"You…" he growled, setting Kol's body down on the stone floor. Caroline scooted back, afraid for the first time that Klaus might actually kill her. She looked to the stairs that he now blocked, and around the tight room that she could never escape. Not with him looming over her. "How dare you…"

Before he could get another word out, Caroline started the painful process of breaking bones and shifting skin that left her smaller, faster, and more agile. The sound of her claws scrambling against stone was accompanied by Klaus' own bones snapping, as she zoomed between his legs and up the stairs. She was out the front door with a few minutes head start thanks to Klaus' slow transformation.

Caroline forced herself to turn on a weekly basis, to remind herself that she was first and foremost a wolf. Not a hybrid. She found that the process sped up and hurt less the more often you did it, which she kept to herself. A plan had started to stir in the back of her mind, and it required the utmost discretion.

Klaus knew no such secret, and his painful transformation was likely taking much longer. Not too long though. Caroline could hear him tearing out of the house a few hundred yards back.

Where to go? Where to go?

Terror and panic had her heading for the woods. The woods that Klaus knew better than anyone. She was a goner.

* * *

She had been sure she was about to get her tiny little throat ripped out, but instead Caroline found herself dangling helplessly from the jaws of a much larger wolf. Klaus didn't even have the decency to grab her by the scruff and let her thrash petulantly. He'd simply taken her entire midsection in his mouth, and hoisted her into the air.

Caroline made sure to whimper and wheeze, hoping to incite a bit of guilt in Klaus to prompt him to let her go, but he made no such move. So instead, she sulked, dangling from his mouth as he carried her back to the house. Eventually, he set her down on the carpeted floor of his bedroom, making sure to keep his teeth locked around her. He growled low in his throat, and she felt it vibrate through her, from her ears down to her tail. It was a warning. Plain and simple. Move an inch, and we start this all over again.

When she felt him release her, Caroline obediently stayed put.

Racing for the door was an option, but he'd just catch her again. She knew it, he knew it, and his dead to the world brother downstairs probably knew it too.

Klaus' bones started to shift back into place, and he let out a pained howl as he fell to the floor. Caroline refused to feel sorry for him. She hoped it hurt like a bitch. When he was human again - or at least as human as Klaus could get - she averted her eyes. Wolves didn't exactly get to keep their clothes when they made the change, and Klaus was naked as the day he was born right in front of her. She tried not to let her mind linger on the small peek she'd just gotten.

"Well don't avert your eyes on my account, sweetheart," Klaus teased her, still huffing in pain a bit. She could still hear an edge of anger in his voice too. She was not forgiven, not by a long shot. "I'm not shy."

Never the less, the sound of drawers opening and pants being pulled on reached her ears. When she knew it was safe to look, she turned back towards him. Klaus seemed somehow even more terrifying, towering over her on two legs. His eyes still glowed yellow, either with pain or fury, and even his shirtless state couldn't make him less threatening.

Caroline felt her ears go down, almost of their own volition. She recoiled into the carpet, probably the picture of shame.

Klaus wasn't buying it though. "You can stop that, we both know you're not sorry."

She replied with a small whimper. Maybe she could cute her way out of this?

"Don't, Caroline." he warned. "Change back now, I won't have this conversation with a ball of fur."

Hey.

Caroline didn't let her irritation show. She'd play the scolded puppy card as long as she could, hoping it would earn her reprieve from whatever punishment Klaus had planned.

"I said now."

The order held the weight of an alpha, and for all that Caroline could choose to ignore it, her instincts were fighting against her. Wolves were pack animals, and thought she hated it, Klaus now led her pack. His orders had an effect on her, even if it wasn't as intense as the sire bond. His demand brought something else to mind though. If he really was going to force her to turn back into a walking, talking girl, they were going to hit a small snag.

She growled at him.

Klaus ignored her, "I'm not in the mood, you little monster. Change, or the next suicide mission I need hybrid help with gets assigned to one of your pack mates."

Caroline huffed.

Angrily, she pounced on his bare foot, grabbing hold of the leg of his jeans with her teeth. She gave it a sharp tug to make her point.

"If you wanted to be clothed when you changed back, you should have turned under different circumstances," Klaus smirked evilly down at her, "I'm afraid that was your mistake, not mine."

She glared up at him, knowing what he was after. No way. No how. He wanted to embarrass her, but she would not give him the satisfaction.

He put a finger to his lips, "I hear there's a hunter two states over, who's particularly fond of explosives…" he mused, tapping his chin thoughtfully, "Perhaps I'll send Scott to check it over. Getting blown up into a million tiny pieces is one of the few ways a regular hybrid can die, did you know that?"

Caroline had her bones shifting back before he'd even finished the sentence. Her pack allegiance was everything to her. After all they'd done for her… she would never let anything happen to them. Not if she could stop it. As the change happened, she limped over to the chaise in the corner, tugging a throw blanket down onto the floor. In less than a minute, she lay crouched and bare. After a second of mortification, Caroline stood up proudly, wrapping the blanket around her, unwilling to let him humiliate her with her nakedness. To her surprise, Klaus didn't waste any time ogling her, keeping his eyes trained on hers.

"That's better." He somehow made it sound like a master praising a complacent pet. She bristled. "You've gotten very good at that. Been practicing?"

Caroline redirected. "Whatever you're going to do to me, get it over with."

Klaus raised an eyebrow at that, finally letting his eyes wander a little. "You know, out of context, one might take that as an invitation…"

Before she could shut it down, Caroline felt a bit of heat flare up inside her. She blamed it on the thrill of the chase or the allure of an alpha, but more and more she was realizing that it was a quality unique to Klaus that stirred something inside her. It was his scent and his voice and the rare moment of kinship he shared his hybrids. When he would treat them like friends and comrades instead of underlings.

Lately, she'd actually worried that she was sticking around less to cause problems for the Original hybrid, and more to just stay in his orbit. She didn't want to see him, but… sometimes she did. Sometimes she wanted to feel his power radiate through a room or hear his amused chuckle from across the way. It was a dangerous urge, and more than once she'd nearly gotten caught up in it. Hell, she'd had to rip apart his goose feather pillows because she wandered into his room after a particularly brutal turn, drawn to his scent, and collapsed on his fluffy bed. He'd nearly found a contented white puppy passed out under his covers, but at the last moment she'd woken up and started chewing. It had been a close call.

Standing in front him, now, it was very apparent to Caroline that only a small blanket and a single pair of jeans separated their very naked bodies from one another. There was that heat again. She hoped Klaus couldn't smell it on her, but if his suddenly glowing eyes were any indication, he had a pretty good idea what she was battling with.

"Oh, now you're just daring me, Caroline," Klaus moved in closer, so that they were nearly touching.

This wasn't the first time her sire had hinted at something sexual between them, but it was the first time Caroline had let herself consider the possibility. He wanted her. That much was obvious, and it had been from day one. And whether it was instinct, cheap thrills, or something more, Caroline could admit that her body wanted him too. Her mind was another matter entirely.

"Unless you're about to lecture me about waking up your demented brother, I'd suggest you keep your distance. I tend to bite."

"Mmm," Klaus let the noise rumble around in chest, "Good to know."

Damn him.

With as much dignity as she could muster, Caroline turned on her heel and started out of the room, clothed only in her thin blanket.

"I wouldn't go back for your clothes," he called out to her. "Kol's likely to wake soon, and you saw how volatile he is."

She stopped for minute, remembering how violent and out of control Klaus' younger brother had been. She felt, dare she say it... guilty. Turning in the door frame, she hovered for a minute. "I didn't know he would be so... I didn't think..."

"He's dangerous, love. They all are." Klaus crossed his arms in front of him, and Caroline realized for the first time how upsetting this had probably all been for him. "You could have been..." he shook his head, like the very thought of her in that kind of danger was rattling around in his brain uncomfortably. "Don't go down there again. Promise me."

A lump had formed in Caroline's throat, but she nodded nonetheless. "I promise."

She left the Mikaelson mansion that day with a new respect for Original power. Klaus might have been diabolical and manipulative and _wrong _, but he meant her and her pack no harm. She couldn't say the same for his family, and they all had 1000 years of strength and blood and murder behind them. And one day, they were going to wake up. Until Klaus said otherwise, they were the real enemy here.

Maybe it was time to stop being such a pain in her sire's ass. It could save a life, if she let it.

* * *

_Now you hold me close and hard, but I was like a statue at most_  
_Refusing to acknowledge you'd been hurt, now you're clawing at my throat_

* * *

**I tried to get your prompts in there as best I could, and they actually worked out pretty well. **

**Stay tuned for part three, you all knew this would happen... **


	17. So Are You To Me

**Title**: So Are You To Me

**Disclaimer**: Anything TVD related belong to The CW

_**Summary: The final installment in what was SUPPOSED to be a tiny, ridiculous, fluffy little nonsense drabble about puppy Caroline. You people are the worst. No more prompts. I mean it!**_

* * *

_As the music at the banquet, as the wine before the meal,  
as the firelight in the night, so you are you to me. _

* * *

"I'm not going."

"Oh, yes you are."

"Nope."

"Caroline…"

"I didn't stick around this one pony town to go to ridiculous balls - balls! You're actually calling your ritzy little party a ball. Could you be more pretentious?" Caroline grumbled, tossing the dress he'd provided for her down on the floor to make her point.

The very floor that tonight would serve as a dance floor once all the furniture and rugs and knick knacks were removed.

Klaus made no move to hide his irritation with her. "Then why, pray tell, did you stay?"

Truly, Caroline had no idea what she was still doing in town.

The rest of her hybrid friends had been ordered out by that over-gelled idiot of an emotionless vampire. Klaus had laid down the law, and they had obeyed. But Caroline wasn't sired to him. She was her own person, with her own free will. That free will should have had her skipping town with the rest of her pack, but oddly enough, her instincts had her rooted to the spot.

Logic told her those instincts were reacting to fear.

Stefan Salvatore's annoying vendetta had after all brought about Caroline's greatest fear.

All four sleeping Originals were up, and they were more terrifying than she could imagine. They attacked innocent bystanders, treated violence like a fun new pastime, and looked at everyone and everything like a God would look on an ant. She supposed they were gods, in a way, but still…. superiority complex much?

Klaus was acting like it was one big family reunion, but Caroline could not help but be wary. She remembered his warning about how dangerous his family was. She remembered the way Kol had torn into his brother like he wanted nothing more than to feast on the still beating heart of the man who had daggered him. Caroline was not afraid to admit she was scared. Most people would run. Fear had that effect on anyone with a brain. But Caroline's brain was wired differently than _most people_. She could run, but eventually her fellow hybrids would be called back to town. And they couldn't.

So yes, logic told her it was fear that kept her in Mystic Falls. Fear for her family. Loyalty. But a smaller part of her, the one that had been growing and growing since the first day she'd met Klaus, urged her to stay for other reasons. More selfish reasons.

"Oh, please," Caroline rolled her eyes, trying to seem nonchalant. "I've seen how your demented little family looks at me. I'm a bug they want to squash. An abomination." She saw Klaus flinch slightly at the word. "The first chance they get, they'll wipe out your little hybrid family, my pack included. I won't leave them behind like they're nothing."

Not for the first time, she caught Klaus looking at her like she was a revelation.

Her loyalty was something he envied deeply, she could see that. He coveted it like a rare jewel, constantly out of his reach. He wanted to possess it, and her, but knew he never would. Never could. It was endlessly frustrating for them both. Caroline didn't want to be possessed. She wanted to be... something else entirely.

The look passed quickly, and Klaus composed himself. "All the more reason to attend tonight." He bent down to pick up the beautiful blue dress . "To keep an eye on them. To get to know them. They might not be so terrible as you imagine."

"You're the one who told me they _were_ terrible!" she pointed an accusatory finger at him.

Klaus shook his head in protest, "I told you they were dangerous, and they are. Never forget that. But they've been pacified, and they wouldn't dare make a move against you under our mother's scrutiny."

"Don't even get me started on the wicked witch," Caroline shuddered. "She gives me the creeps."

He grinned but still held up the dress for her. "Please, Caroline. For me?"

Three weeks ago, that tactic would have gotten him nowhere. Caroline did not do things for Klaus. Her life's mission was to make his hell, after all. But recently, ever since she'd stopped actively trying to torture him, Caroline had realized that her relationship with her hybrid sire had changed. Drastically. When she wasn't spending all her time plotting how best to ruin his day, she found he actually didn't make such a terrible companion.

Klaus had let her in on some of his secrets and kept her aware of the goings on of the Salvatores. He sought her council on how best to handle the hybrids, and actually listened. He'd even drunkenly confided in her a bit of his family history - a dark tale if ever there was one.

In exchange, she gave up some of her more annoying habits.

Instead rolling around in his paint supplies, she monitored his interactions with the pack. Rather than tearing into his pillows and smashing antique windows, she gave him advice on how best to treat hybrids like human beings. What she witnessed was nothing short of a miracle. Rather than supernatural allegiance tying these monsters to their master, she saw a true bond established. One of trust and camaraderie. Before they had been sent away, Klaus' hybrids had begun to be genuinely loyal to him, and it was seriously messing with Caroline's plans.

"If I go," Caroline started slowly grabbing the taffeta gown from him and resisting a smile when she saw his eyes brighten, "Is Rebekah going to tear this dress off me in the middle of the dance floor?"

"If only…" Klaus smirked.

"Seriously," she gave him a shove.

He just laughed. "No, she won't. This one doesn't belong to her, it's actually one of my collection."

"Hmm, I'm not sure it's your size."

"Hilarious." Klaus actually made to snatch the dress back from her.

Caroline danced out of his reach. The dress was seriously beautiful, and if he was giving it to her, there were no take-backs. Ball or not. "I'll go on _one _condition."

"I'm shocked," he deadpanned, "Let's have it."

Caroline smiled evilly. Sometimes she couldn't tell if Klaus was placating her to keep her out of mischief, because he genuinely liked her, or because he was trying to get into her pants. Often she assumed it was a combination of all three. Now was the perfect time to test the theory.

"I get to bring a date."

His eyebrows drew down immediately. The idea of her bringing a date to _his party_ while she was wearing _his dress_ clearly didn't sit well with him. Actually, he seemed ready to smash something at the mere suggestion. Well that answered that. His interest in bedding her was more powerful than any tentative friendship between them. Caroline tried not to call the hollow feeling in her chest disappointment. What did she care? Dimples and accents were a dime a dozen in this world, and she could surely find a man that sported both without the thousand years of bloodshed and psychosis.

She grit her teeth together. Maybe she could leave town after all? The rest of her pack was running around Nashville right now, and she didn't exactly hate country music. She could protect them better from there anyhow.

"Fine."

Caroline's head snapped up from staring at her toes. "What?"

"I said, _fine_. Bring a date." Klaus could not have sounded more miserable, but she hadn't heard him wrong. He'd agreed to give her a plus one.

Her stomach was not doing backflips. Nope. No sir.

"Well then, I guess I'll see you tonight." Caroline smiled as she gathered the dress up and made off with it. "By the way," she tacked on before she was out the door, "If my date ends up as your midnight snack, don't expect to ever find the Degas that very suddenly went missing this morning."

"Bloody menace…" she heard him hiss before door slammed shut behind her.

What? She said she'd given up _most _of her bad habits.

* * *

The strapless blue and silver gown was undoubtedly the most expensive thing Caroline had ever worn. Something she would have adored back in her human days, scoffed at in her wolf days, but apparently wore with grace in her hybrid days. She hadn't had the means to style anything that didn't include jean shorts in the last two years, so she'd… cheated a little.

The compelled store clerk would find the white gloves, the sapphire earrings, and even the Jimmy Choo's exactly where they were supposed to be tomorrow morning. Okay, maybe not the shoes.

The moment Klaus caught sight of her, she saw his whole being just _shift_. He dropped the charming grin he'd been peddling, and his entire body seemed to orient itself in her direction. She could see his shoulders tense and his eyes narrow as he took all of her in. Up, then down. The lust that was all too common behind his stares was there, but it was tempered with something else. A confused sort of admiration. Like he wanted to pay her a compliment, but he had no earthly idea how to do it. For her part, Caroline felt a sort of tingling sensation that started behind her ears and skated down her neck to her back. She tried not to shiver, but failed.

"Good evening." Klaus gave her a real smile as he walked up to her.

"Hi." She couldn't stop her own grin.

Klaus' eyes wandered to the empty space on either side of her. "And where is this date you were so insistent about? Couldn't scrounge someone up in time?"

"Of course I could, who do you think you're talking to?" Caroline glared playfully. "He's doing exactly what he's supposed to be doing."

She pointed one delicate finger across the room, in the direction of the adorable bus boy with the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. Matt Donovan stood by the bar, sipping champagne with Rebekah, who was having a grand time preening under the attention of her new suitor.

"Your date is supposed to flirting with my sister?" he asked dubiously.

"Yep. What can I say? I've got an eye for match making." Caroline noticed that Klaus looked monumentally confused, so she took pity on him. "Rebekah is the biggest threat to the pack right now. Sure, Elijah thinks we're dogs, and Kol would probably hunt us for sport, but Rebekah… she loathes us. She hates the idea that you tried to replace her with a new hybrid family, and the second you piss her off, she's going to start ripping our throats out. Enter Matt." Caroline nearly started to bounce at her own cleverness. "Matt, the cutest, most naïve little quarterback that ever lived, who just so happens to be best friends with Tyler - another of your hybrids. You mentioned Rebekah's got a thing for humans, and he's the perfect candidate for her to fall madly in love with, thus curing her of her hybrid hating ways, so that they can dance off into the sunset together. Preferably on another continent. After all, she'd never hurt his _best friend_."

Klaus' mouth actually hung open for a moment before he redirected his gaze back to Matt and Rebekah. They'd moved on to their second glass of champagne, and as she tossed her head back to laugh at whatever mediocre joke he'd just told, a strand of her perfectly coiffed hair came loose. Matt, already besotted, reach forward and tucked it back into place, letting his knuckles brush gently across her cheek as he pulled away. Rebekah blushed, biting her lip.

"The boy's got game, I'll give him that." Caroline snagged her own glass of champagne off of a waiting tray.

"Dance with me." Klaus prompted suddenly. He was staring again. With intensity and fire and something that bordered too close to devotion. And Caroline was entranced. She took a great gulp of her champagne, and then gently laid her hands in his.

* * *

Many drinks later, Caroline twirled much more easily in Klaus' arms, less insecure about showing off her skills. Her former beauty queen days might have been useless in the California wilderness, but here they were paying off. That didn't mean that she wasn't very aware of the eyes of his remaining family members on her back though.

Rebekah was preoccupied, but that meant one down, four to go.

Klaus noticed her wandering eye, astute as always. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Hmm I think they're worth much more than that, don't you?" she tried to lighten the mood.

"I do, in fact," Klaus agreed with her, and on her next spin she felt something heavy come to rest on her wrist.

Klaus had moved fast - as he always did - and a diamond bracelet now sat above her gloved hand. The infinity pattern of the jewels almost resembled hearts, if you looked closely, and she swallowed at the implication behind it.

"That not-" she actually stuttered. "I can't keep that. It's too much."

"It's not a gift, Caroline, it's a thank you." Klaus pulled her closer, and she noticed how much sincerity he was trying to convey. "Despite our… rocky start, you've been invaluable to me in my plans for your fellow hybrids. I never thought I'd say this but, your presence here has been a great help. I appreciate it, and the bracelet is a token of that appreciation."

He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek, keeping up the steps of their dance effortlessly. Caroline, on the other hand, stumbled the second his lips touched her skin, and Klaus had to make an impressive save to keep them both from ending up on the floor.

He righted them and cleared his throat. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"You didn't, I'm just out of practice." she tried to shake off his awkward concern. "And these shoes are cutting off some very important circulation. I'll need to go for a run later to unwind."

They both knew she didn't mean a run of the jogging variety. "That's the second time this week," Klaus noted. "You're turning an awful lot for someone who never wanted to be a hybrid in the first place. The pain must be excruciating."

Caroline bit her lip, wondering if they'd grown close enough for this secret. The one she'd guarded so carefully the past months. The concern on his face was real though. The idea of her in pain actually hurt him. But still, there was respect for her there. For her choice. To feel the pain, and remember who she truly was.

It reminded her of the drunken conversation they'd had weeks ago, the night he'd told her all the terrible things Mikael had ever done to him. The beatings and torture and humiliation. It had been an eye-opening experience...

He'd told her about his favorite horse too. The one he'd raised from a foal. The one he'd trained but had never broken.

_"Theo decided when we'd ride, not me." Klaus slurred as he poured more whiskey. "If he wasn't in the mood, he'd simply buck me right off."_

_"Please tell me someone caught this on camera." Caroline giggled._

_"I'm afraid it was a few centuries early for that." he responded. "But when we did ride, it was thrilling. Knowing he allowed it, simply because it was as freeing for him as it was for me... it's something I've never found again. I tried for years to break that wild streak of his, but he refused to be tamed. He had such spirit in him. I don't think anyone could have broken it." Klaus remembered his horse fondly, with too much sadness in his voice. "Reminds me a lot of you, in a way."_

_"Me?" Caroline tried not to be insulted. "I remind you of a _horse_?"_

_"In temper only, love," he assured her, and she tried not to feel a flutter as he brushed one of her curls aside in reassurance. His hand trailed over her shoulder and down her arm as he continued to speak. "There's something marvelously inspiring about an animal that refuses to break, no matter how hard you push. They belong to themselves, completely. There's an independence there that must be respected. Admired."_

_Caroline swallowed, "I didn't take you for the type to respect independence."_

_"That's because it's so rare, Caroline." Klaus was close enough she could feel his breath on her face. It smelled of alcohol, but so did hers. It melted between them, mixing with their natural scents. It was intoxicating, in more ways than one. "True freedom, from everyone and everything... when you find that, you've truly found something extraordinary." _

He'd promptly passed the fuck out before he could notice that she was breathing much too heavily, which was probably a good thing. The alcohol that had fogged her brain, and it was telling her that their pants needed to start coming off. That was whiskey for you.

Klaus spun her around again, and she was relieved to find the dance called for him to be behind her for the next few counts. It gave her a chance to clear her head. To really consider. She couldn't forget the reverent way he'd spoken of his horse's spirit. The respect he had for an animal that had been his partner, rather than his pet.

Caroline took a deep breath and then took a chance.

"The change... it becomes less painful the more you do it," she breathed the small, incredibly important secret, "To the point where it almost doesn't hurt at all. The bones don't break so much as shift, and your skin doesn't burn anymore, it just sort of sizzles. It's almost nice, if you can get over the headache-y part of it all. It's almost… freeing."

Klaus stayed in time with the waltz, and the music covered the loaded silence that loomed over them.

"Very interesting." Klaus finally noted. "And have you shared this discovery with anyone else? Scott perhaps? Isaac?"

He wanted to know if she'd told her pack mates that they could be free of him. That the relief from the pain of turning, which solidified their obedience and loyalty, could be circumvented. She knew he'd figure it out quickly. He was Klaus after all. And the fact that he was _Klaus _made her afraid to answer.

"Caroline," he actually growled at her. "Who have you told?"

"We're not animals, Klaus," she sighed, "We deserve our own free will."

"Who?" Klaus demanded again, and his grip tightened around her waist.

"Scott's already turning without pain. Erica's not far behind. Isaac and Boyd will be there by the end of the month, maybe sooner."

Klaus hissed in anger, and she could practically smell the aggression wafting off of him. They'd stopped dancing, and they were started to draw looks from the crowd. In a huff, Klaus charged off of the floor, too angry to stay in her presence another moment most likely. Like an idiot, Caroline followed him. Her skirts swished around her as she chased him out of the ballroom, into the foyer, and up the grand stairs. He fled and she chased. A fitting role reversal.

"I told them before!" she tried to explain taking the stairs two at a time. "Before this started-"

"This what, Caroline?" he yelled at her, drawing the eyes of a few people on the first floor. He kept moving, but continued to yell at her. "This little truce? Whatever this thing was that never really existed? You planned this from the beginning, and you've let it play out fabulously. Well done, sweetheart."

Caroline still chased after him, thankful they'd finally made it to the second floor, away from prying eyes. "Oh please, like this is some conspiracy against you? I did what was right!"

"You did what you wanted, as always!" he screamed back at her. "You stupid, selfish little girl"

CRACK! The wall actually had a dent in it from how hard she'd shoved him against it. Her hands fisted in his tux, and her eyes glowed yellow.

"Don't you _ever_ call me stupid again," she warned him. "Ever."

Klaus shook her off, his anger still loaded like a gun. "They are _mine, _Caroline. My hybrids. To do with as I please. Your little insurrection has likely signed their death sentence."

"They're not yours," she argued back. "They're people. Human beings! Wouldn't you rather they _choose _to be loyal to you instead of forcing them with some fake magical sire bond? I know that's what you really want!"

"You have no idea what I want," he hissed. "You're a child. A disobedient, sullen, ungrateful little child."

Caroline felt like she was boiling over. Nothing rankled her nerves quite like Klaus talking down to her. "You have the nerve to call _me _a child? Me? You may be a bazillion years old, but you'll always be that bratty little boy, lashing out because his daddy didn't hug him enough!"

Klaus' hand connected with the wall next to her head, and Caroline jumped a foot in the air. Klaus had threatened violence before, but he'd never followed through with it. Not with her. Not ever. But now... now he wouldn't just carry his disobedient little puppy inside for a scolding, or chase her around the house. Now he looked betrayed and upset and just plain enraged. And she knew why. They might have been drunk out of their minds, but that didn't mean the hours of talking and bare moments of truth they'd shared meant any less. That Klaus hadn't made himself vulnerable with talk of Mikael and his family's tormented past.

And Caroline had just used that vulnerability as a punchline meant to hurt him.

"I... I'm sorry." Caroline apologized. "I shouldn't have said that."

"You know," Klaus spoke slowly and calmly, barely giving a hint as to the storm raging inside him. "It's been a fun evening, but I think it's time for you to go."

"Yeah, I think- maybe you're right." She agreed. He needed time to cool down. To get back to normal. "We can talk about this later when we're not so-"

"No." he cut her off quickly. "It's time for you to leave, Caroline. Go find your pack, help them break their sire bonds for all I care. Just leave."

Shock made her numb, filling her up and nailing her to the floor. He couldn't have just- no. He wouldn't. "You want me to leave Mystic Falls?"

"That's what I said." Klaus backed away from her, making sure to keep his eyes trained anywhere but on her. "We both know you wore out your welcome long ago. Frankly, I don't have time for this type _nuisance_ anymore."

"Stop it."

"Didn't you hear me?" his voice actually shook, and Caroline could tell if it was with rage or despair. "I said get out of my home."

"Klaus-"

"GET OUT!"

A deep breath. "No."

Until the word left her mouth, Caroline actually had no idea how firmly she'd decided to stay. Instinct and desire and fear and whatever else she wanted to call it barely mattered at all. It was simply not part of the equation anymore. Caroline Forbes wanted to stay. And so she was going to stay. Hybrid orders and temper tantrums and sires be damned. No one told her what she could and couldn't do.

Klaus had managed to put distance between them when he'd pulled away from her, and she wouldn't let that stand either. She stalked towards him, and he made a very good show of backing away like it was absolutely what he'd intended to do all along. Nothing more nothing less. But she knew.

"Caroline, I am warning you-"

"No."

"I said-"

"No."

"Dammit, I don't care if you-"

"No, no, no!" Caroline finally managed to back him into a corner. With nowhere left to go, Klaus simply glared down at her.

Caroline didn't stop though. She kept moving towards him until there was no space left at all. Her chest pressed to his, her hands wrapped around his neck, and then finally her lips planted firmly on his. It took longer than it should have for Caroline to coax him into returning the kiss, but she figured it was mostly due to shock. His hands hovered over her waist, like they wanted to grab hold of her, but weren't quite sure how. She broke their (her) kiss for a brief second to suck on his bottom lip, biting it ever so softly. She let go of the breath she'd been holding, and it escaped in a panted sigh.

That did the trick. Klaus gripped her suddenly, like his life depended on it. He attack the kiss with all the fervor that had been missing before, spinning them around like he'd done all night so that it was her pressed into the corner of the wall.

For all the restrained passion in him, dying to be let loose, Caroline found that Klaus was actually a very calculated kisser. He let her take the lead, only peppering in a few tricks here and there that had her making embarrassing noises against his mouth. When his hands moved downwards to pull her against him, and his mouth descended on her neck, Caroline finally caught a breath.

"I'm not leaving," she reminded him. "You can't make me do something I don't want to do."

Klaus let out a defeated chuckle and sucked on her pulse. "Don't I know it."

A rush of air was all the warning Caroline got before he back connected with the softness of Klaus' bed. She'd even lost her shoes in the scuffle. The door slammed shut somewhere behind them, but she was too caught up in that wonderful scent that clung to every sheet and pillow. She breathed deeply, nuzzling her nose into one of those pillows as she felt Klaus peel away the beautiful gown he'd given her.

"Shall I leave the two of you alone?" Klaus questioned, and Caroline snapped out her haze.

Klaus had started to undress, but now he stood at the foot of the bed, shirtless and smirking down at her as she practically made out with one of his pillows. In response, Caroline just reached up and unpinned her hair, shaking it out around her. Slowly, her pristine white gloves came off next, and she left the bracelet behind. His bracelet. Last, she reached behind her and unhooked her bra, tossing the lace away. Then was sitting before him on his bed, fuck me curls undone, in only a small scrap of underwear, waiting. He didn't waste any time before he was on her again.

He pressed delicate kisses to her neck and chest, and Carline fought back a moan when he sucked a nipple into his mouth. One of his hands found its way into her panties and then Caroline did moan, long and loud, as he dragged a finger over her. A rumble came from Klaus' chest, letting her know how much he enjoyed the wetness he found there. He pressed the heel of his palm to her and rubbed, just enough to have her clenching, but not giving her what she really wanted.

As he tortured her, nonsense and secrets spilled from Caroline's mouth, "I just love this bed. It smells like you- ohh- and your scent is just- ahh- sometimes it drives me crazy."

"I know," Klaus pulled his head up to look at her, never stopping the small circular motions of his hand below. "You don't think I can smell you on my sheets after you've been here? You don't think I see this bits of white fluff you leave behind? Little mongrel."

Caroline tried to feel embarrassed that he knew about her puppy naps in his bed, but he chose that moment to slide a finger inside her, and all she could do was nod along with him. She'd agree to anything right now so long as he didn't stop. Impatiently, her hands fumbled with his dress pants, pulling them down and out of her way. She grabbed hold of him, pumping him a few times to let him know what she wanted. He cursed and bit down on her neck, but it only took a few seconds before she felt him push inside her. She stretched and winced - it had been a while - but he still felt amazing.

For a second, they just lay there breathing. It seemed to hit them both at the same time that this was a real moment for them. A milestone. And they'd nearly blown right past it. Klaus started moving, and she had to fight to keep her eyes on his. They longed to drift shut with each new shock of pleasure, but he was looking at her like she was the sun, and she was sure that same look was mirrored back in her eyes somewhere. For all their bickering, and false steps, and mishaps, there was no place in the world she'd rather be than here with him. And she couldn't imagine ever losing this feeling.

Eventually the passion took over, as it was bound to do, and Klaus' pace picked up. He hooked a leg over his hip and drove into her faster, and the bed creaked loudly beneath them. Each new thrust had Caroline keening, and his new angle was almost, almost, almost-

With a grunt of annoyance, Caroline wrapped her other leg behind him and pushed. One mighty shove, and it was Klaus who was flat on his back, Caroline looming over him. She settled down against him and- yessssss there was that angle she needed. There was that fire. If Klaus was angry about losing his place on top, he surely didn't show it. He just grabbed onto her and let her rock roughly against him. Every now and then his fingers would tighten, and his eyes would slam shut, his hips lifting into hers with such need...

"How could anyone ever control you?" he was breathless, and Caroline liked the sound of it. "How could anyone ever try?"

She bit her lip, leaning forward so that he rubbed against her just right. God she was close. "Klaus..."

He kissed her thoroughly, keeping up the steady motions of their hips, his fingers digging into the cheeks of her ass. She panted and moaned into his mouth, and when she started clench, she felt his thrusts get sporadic as he fell over the edge too. Caroline tried not to scream, she really did, but her head threw back and her hips took over, and she was calling out his name over and over again as she rode him to completion.

Klaus fingertips skated over her as she lay helplessly on top of him. Every ounce of her energy was spent, but it felt nice to just rest there, being stroked. She reached behind her to pull a sheet over them, and the jangle of her wrist caught her attention. The diamond bracelet sparkled, beautiful as ever in the low light of his bedroom.

It was a reminder of less pleasurable activities though, as the reason for the gift came back to her.

"We still need to finish our talk," Caroline pressed her cheek against his chest, hoping not to ruin the mood between them.

"You mean our fight," he corrected.

She nipped at him playfully, and he laughed. "You love fighting with me, admit it."

He turned to look at her, but there was no joke in his eyes any more. "I do." Caroline swallowed, but she didn't pull away. She even let Klaus link his fingers through hers, and pull her tighter against him. "We'll figure it out, sweetheart. There's always a solution."

It wasn't exactly reassuring, but Caroline let it drop. She could fix the relationship between Klaus and his hybrids, she knew she could. For now, she just wanted to enjoy their new little truce. It was shaping up to be a far more enjoyable one than their previous anyways.

* * *

Klaus woke up expecting to find a very gorgeous, very naked Caroline in bed with him. Instead, he found a fuzzy ball of fur curled into his side, covered in mud and dust. He almost yelled at her to wake up and change back _now_, but then his eyes drifted to the side of the bed.

Leaning against the wall was his missing Degas, a little worse for the wear, but not beyond hope. The message was clear.

_I'm sorry. Start again?_

Klaus sighed, and his hand drifted down to the precocious wolf snuggled up next to him. She stretched under his touch, letting out a yawn and tiny grumble before nuzzling back into him. Klaus rolled his eyes. It seemed he'd picked a puppy for a bed partner. Just perfect.

* * *

_As the ruby in the setting, as the fruit upon the tree,_  
_As the wind blows over the plains, so are you to me._

* * *

**Props to anyone who guessed last chapter that Caroline's "California pack" was in fact one and the same with our favorite Beacon Hills werewolves. Yeah, I blurred the worlds a little bit. Sue me. **


	18. Game Night

**Title**: Game Night

**Disclaimer**: Anything TO or TVD related belongs to the CW

**_Summary: Just a pair of drabbles that popped out of nowhere this afternoon after a sneak peek at Caroline's trivia game._**

* * *

_If all you wanted was love, why would you use me up, cut me down, build a boat, and sail away? _  
_When all I wanted to be was your giving tree, settle down, build a home, and make you happy._

* * *

Reinforcements.

She couldn't believe Bonnie and Elena had the nerve to call in reinforcements. Especially of the Original variety. Though she supposed the dead coed in her dorm had probably been the last straw for them.

Klaus Mikaelson had sashayed into the campus bar, dragging Stefan along by the ear, with nothing but a "Hello, Caroline," and wasn't that just fan-freaking-tastic?

"_What_ are you doing here?" she practically growled. "Aren't you supposed to have your hands full with a bouncing ball of baby magic right now?"

"In fact, I am," Klaus sounded more irritated than surprised that she knew about his spawn. "Which is why it's so aggravating to be dragged up here to turn your humanity switch back on, when the girl I knew would never have turned it off in the first place."

Caroline just rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, some of us actually had good relationships with our mothers. Sorry we can't all be as damaged as you, Klaus."

In retaliation, Klaus threw Stefan across room, and Caroline winced a little to see him go crashing through a table. She almost cared about that. Almost.

She just sighed, "You're wasting your time though. I started back up with the daily vervain regimen the second the switch flipped. Too bad, so sad, but you're obsolete here. Have a nice flight home!"

Klaus' lip curled, but he stayed put.

"Care-" Tyler begged her, but she didn't let him get far before he was on his back, throat pressed under her heel.

He choked, but whatever sympathy lived inside of her couldn't be touched by it. "Unless your next words were going to be an answer for what my mother's last memory was, I'd keep my mouth shut, _Ty_." She mocked him.

Caroline couldn't help but notice that Klaus, no matter how turned off he was by her emotionless state, was enjoying watching her crush Tyler beneath her boot. Those two and their petty rivalries. She finally let him up, just to watch Klaus' face fall. He scurried out from under her heel, reeling into a chair next to Matt.

Recovering from his previous fall, Stefan finally chimed in. "I know the answer, so does that mean I win?" he moved closer, looking her up and down lecherously. "What's my prize?"

"Nice try," Caroline refused, but let him give her the once over anyway. He'd had a taste of what sex with her could be like, and he so obviously wanted more. Good. Let him squirm, pining after her like she'd pined after him. Bastard. "But you were inside my mom's head too, which is cheating."

"I thought we'd established that playing by the rules was no fun?" Stefan grinned.

"Fair point." she pretended to give it a thought.

Actually, this situation presented her with an all new opportunity for fun. Who needed silly torture games when she could play mind games with the men who had all loved and lost her? She hadn't been planning to take the trivia thing that far – no farther than ripping either Tyler of Matt's throats out that is – but now…

"New round," she announced proudly, "Caroline Forbes Trivia - take two. You all claimed to love me at one time or another. You've all fucked me, so let's hope you were at least half honest about your feelings, or I'll start to feel terrible used…"

Matt was the only one who shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and she figured that probably meant that he'd exaggerated his feelings quite a bit way back when. A teenage boy looking to get laid. Typical.

"So let's see which one of you really loved me most." Caroline dared them excitedly. What a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. "Tyler, Matt. Same rules apply, answer right and you stay alive." She turned to lean over Stefan, who'd settled in to watch her work. "If Stefan wins, he gets another ride on the Caroline express, since it's so clear he wants one."

She let her lips skim over his, making sure to pull back when he lunged out of his chair to try to kiss her. Stefan smirked, happy to play long. "Very twisted, Caroline. I'm almost proud."

Caroline lifted an eyebrow at that before returning to her spot on the couch.

"And what about me, love?" Klaus spoke up from his place in the corner, where he'd been observing her silently. She couldn't tell if he liked what he saw or not. He'd always gone on and on about how marvelous she'd be if she just gave in the darkness, but now? Now that she had dove in head first? He didn't seem so keen. "You can't kill me, and we both know I wouldn't stoop so low as to take advantage of your current state. Not like some people…"

He threw a dirty look at Stefan, who just laughed. "Issues of consent don't exactly keep me up at night these days. Sorry, buddy."

"Clearly." Klaus droned. "So what incentive will you give me, Caroline? If I'm to play your self-indulgent little game?"

That was a pickle. She couldn't hurt Klaus – unless you counted his delicate feelings – and the way he was acting, it was even less likely that she could seduce him. Something about that made her stomach twist uncomfortably. She liked being in control of Klaus' passions.

Either way, there was nothing here that could force him to play her game.

Except… it was a gamble. A big one. But what was life without a little risk?

"If you win," Caroline spoke slowly, making sure to look him dead in the eyes so he could see her honesty. "I'll turn it back on."

The legs of Stefan's chair slammed to the floor from where they'd been balanced in mid-air. He looked at her with such betrayed shock… hmm she kind of liked that.

"You wouldn't." Stefan shook his head, in total denial.

Caroline narrowed her eyes. Seems like Stefan was already losing the game. He didn't know her very well at all if he thought she was bluffing.

"Yes, she would." Klaus finally smiled that smile he saved just for her. "Because she's so sure I'll lose."

"Well," Caroline bit her lip thoughtfully. "I can't be 100% sure, no. But what you had was an infatuation, Klaus. Not love. I'd be surprised if you make it past round two, if I'm honest."

Klaus took the bait beautifully. He'd always loved a challenge. "Well then," he turned a chair around and took a seat next to Stefan, ready to play. "Let the games begin."

* * *

"First question goes to… Matt."

Caroline paced back and forth, digging into her memories for a question that Matt could feasibly answer, but only if he'd paid _close_ attention. She wasn't going to create an unfairly weighted game, that was no fun, but she wasn't going to go easy either.

Finally, she landed on something perfect, and spun back around to face her ex.

She'd picked her target well, since Matt squirmed before straightening up a little bit, confident after his last correct color question. Idiot.

"The first night we spent together, we stayed up until sunrise watching Dancing with the Stars and eating junk food." she began. "I hogged all the cookies. What kind were they?"

Matt swallowed but he answered confidently. "I was the one that hogged the chocolate-toffee-almond cookies," Matt corrected her, "You wouldn't stop scarffing down the salt and vinegar chips."

"Very good!" Caroline clapped. "Matt Donovan, coming in strong with the trick questions."

She poured him a shot of the tequila she'd grabbed from the bar, sliding it over to him as a reward. He looked like he needed some liquid courage.

"Stefan," she turned to her next victim. "You were so oblivious to me falling for you, let's see if you lose right out of the gate. The first moment I realized I had feelings for you, you had just told me how important my opinion of you was. Where were we?"

She saw his eyebrows draw down in confusion, and then anger. "How the hell is that fair?" he exclaimed after a long pause. "Matt gets a stupid cookie question, and I get something like that?"

"If our friendship meant _so much _to you," Caroline argued, "Then this should be easy to remember."

He breathed heavy, and focused, trying hard to remember. She could see in his eyes that his emotionless state was not helping matters. The harder he tried to tap into the feelings connected to that memory, the more his switch pushed back. Looked excruciating really. Finally, he seemed to break through some sort of wall.

"At your father's cabin," he clapped his hands together at his right answer, "After I you found out I'd killed Enzo."

"Bravo, Stefan," she congratulated him. "But you don't get any tequila because I practically gift wrapped that one for you, and it still took you forever. Some friend you are."

Her insult bounced off him like she expected.

One of the pitfalls of insulting someone who just didn't give a fuck.

She moved on, "Tyler's turn."

"I'm not going to play, Caroline."

"Really?" her voice practically dropped a whole octave. "You'd rather be dead."

Tyler shrugged. "You talk big, but I don't think you'd actually be able to do it. You want to turn it back on eventually, I know that much. And I know you, Care. You'll never be able to live with yourself if you kill me. You'll never be able to get back to normal, which is what you really want."

"I'm inclined to agree with him, actually" Klaus grinned. "For better or worse, Tyler was your first love. That doesn't go away. You won't kill him."

Caroline huffed. They weren't playing fair.

Worse, they were right. She didn't give a rats ass if Tyler dropped dead, by her hand or not. But a year from now? That little expiration date she'd circled on her calendar, programmed into her phone, and stored away in the back of her mind, even through all the broken promises and drained sorority girls? That Caroline would care.

She'd miss her deadline for sure if she knew turning it on would mean facing the guilt of Tyler's murder. And Caroline hated missing deadlines. It was lazy and it showed a lack of organizational skills.

Fine then.

"I might not kill you, sure," Caroline walked towards the front doors, which she'd barricaded shut, "But I _would_ grab the first unsuspecting kid off the street and force you to slit their throat. You've worked so hard to keep from triggering that pesky curse again, Tyler. I'd hate to see you stumble now…"

That got some fear back in his eyes. Tyler's curse had been the only thing to ever make him feel powerless – besides Klaus – and he was clearly not willing to go through that kind of torture again.

He liked his renewed human status.

"I thought you smelled different," Klaus grinned. "Poor Tyler, so much more… breakable now. I'll have to remember that."

"Hey!" Caroline complained. "These are my torture games, get your own."

"Apologies," Klaus held up his hands in placation, "Carry on."

She nodded, satisfied. "So Tyler, what'll it be? A harmless little question, or a dead college freshman on your hands?"

He scowled for minute, trying to find a way around her threats, but obviously there was none. Eventually he shrugged, motioning for her to go on.

"Great!" she chirped. "This one's a gimme. The summer before we got together, I told you a secret. The words 'cone of silence' were used. What was it?"

It was obvious Tyler remembered exactly what she was talking about, but he still hesitated. He looked around at the others in the room nervously. "You really want me to say that out loud?"

"I can't feel joy or pain or anger or sadness, Tyler. You think I'm shy?"

He shook his head and threw his hands up. "Fine. You said you were worried you would never really fall in love because you fall so easily. If everyone feels like 'the one,' then maybe you're not really capable of love at all."

"Color me impressed," Caroline stood up and patted Tyler on the back. "And that was before he was sleeping with me, folks. What a good listener."

"So were you right?" Tyler asked suddenly, breaking the rules.

"Right about what?"

The heartbreak in Tyler's eyes had her gritting her teeth. Keep it together, Caroline. He leaned forward, grabbing for the tequila she hadn't offered. "Did you ever love me, Caroline? Or was all just another fall for you?"

A lump formed in her throat, and Caroline fought hard to choke it back down. He knew. He knew she'd loved him. What they'd had was more real than anything she'd had before or since. Real love.

And he was trying to use it against her.

"Moving on," Caroline snagged the bottle back before Tyler could get swig. "Klaus, whatever shall I ask you?"

"I'm a wealth of information, sweetheart," Klaus seemed totally unaffected. Probably because he had the least to lose. "Ask away."

She thought hard. This couldn't be a favorite television show, or most prized possession question. She had no doubt that Klaus had lurked somewhere or compelled someone to get that kind of information on her back when he'd taken up residence as her number one admirer.

She also didn't feel safe asking him about any of the more personal moments they'd shared together. There had been so much repressed… something between them. Even now it threatened to bubble over in the way she stared him down and he stared right back. Those kind of questions were dangerous.

But maybe there was something to be said for dancing too close to danger.

"Hmm, a tough one then," Caroline stalked towards Klaus, choosing to seat herself directly in his lap for the most effect. "The day you finally fucked my brains out, I came _five_ times."

She distantly heard the arm of Tyler's chair break under his clenched fists. Good.

"I recall." Klaus fidgeted beneath her, and it was clear he was fighting to keep his hands off her and fulfill his promise to not take advantage.

"Unfortunately," she carried on, "One of those orgasms was faked."

Stefan chuckled, and Matt looked to the sky like he'd rather be anywhere else. For his part, Tyler didn't seem to know whether he wanted to punch something, or grin like an idiot. She'd just have to let that fester.

Focusing back on Klaus, she toyed with the beads that hung around his neck. "So which one was it?"

Klaus stayed silent for a long time, staring at his lap, and she grinned figuring she'd stumped him. And wounded his ego in the process. God, today was a good day.

Finally, he spoke, in a low and dangerous tone.

"The fourth."

Caroline clenched her teeth together, suddenly angry. "You guessed. That's not winning, that's luck."

"Afraid not." He answered, lifting his head to look her dead in the eye. With her being in his lap, their proximity made it almost… intimate. "You were exhausted, rightly so, we'd been at it for nearly three hours. You wanted to come, I could see it, and you so very close. I bit your neck and changed angles, and I even let my fingers slide slowly done to-"

"Okay, that's enough, I remember." Caroline stopped him, a blush coloring her cheeks. Apparently she could feel shame.

"Point being," Klaus sighed heavily, "Your body was just spent. I would have happily kept trying until I found exactly what made you scream for me, but it was torture for you. I could see that. So you faked it, and I let you. Why do you think I let you catnap all evening before making the last time the most unbearably pleasurable experience you've ever had? I had to end us on a good note, Caroline."

She was breathing heavy, and they could all hear it. Caroline clenched her thighs together at the memory of how… vigorous their last round had been. No wonder. He was trying to make up for any shortcomings. And oh, he had.

She felt the lightest brush of something on her legs and looked down to find Klaus' hands there.

He looked down at them too, before yanking them off her soft skin like he was surprised they'd even found their way there in the first place.

A cleared throat broke their moment.

Tyler looked ready to vomit, but it had been Stefan who had interrupted. He clearly didn't like others playing with his toys.

Meaning it was his turn.

"Back to Stefan, then," she stood up. No more sitting in laps for her. That hadn't gone as planned. "So Stef," she started, "Round two should be fun for you, since you wanted an easy one."

"Go on."

"Let's see… This one is a two-parter. Where did you first meet Elena Gilbert?"

"School," Stefan answered, then with a chuckle, "The men's bathroom."

"Very good, and me?"

"At the grill," he smirked at the easy question. "With the rest of Elena friends."

Caroline's eyes hardened. "Wrong."

"What?" he protested, "No, that's right, I know it is."

"No," Caroline fought back something than reeked of disappointment and insecurity, "I purposefully bumped into you outside of history class. You apologized and picked up my books. I asked if you needed help finding your next class, but you were already ten steps down the hallway. Barely a second look in my direction."

And that answered that, didn't it?

Elena was seared into his memory, stamped there for all eternity. But Caroline… she was barely a flicker of a thought on his mind. She thought she'd at least made an impression at that first meeting. But no. The cute meet had bounced right off of Stefan, not even registering for him.

Stefan seethed. "Wow, that's really… desperate of you, Caroline."

To her dismay, Caroline felt that jab. She had been desperate. Desperate and lonely and insecure and small. But she'd gotten bigger since then. So big and bold and _more. _She was miles away from the girl who would ever deign to love a boy who had told her 'never going to happen.'

How was it so much easier to see that now that she had turned off those pesky emotions?

"And the first one bites the dust," she rounded on her three remaining contestants.

It was all too easy to ignore Stefan's angry huff, and the way he shook off her rejection immediately. Even without emotions it was almost… too easy for him to straighten his jacket and flip them all a wave as he stalked out of the bar.

"Tyler," Caroline moved back towards the untriggered wolf. "Same question. The first time we ever met."

"I don't know," Tyler shrugged. "Probably... kindergarten."

Caroline sighed. They sure were dropping fast now. "Wrong. We were in the same pre-k class together, which you would have known if you'd ever even flipped through the photo album I gave you for our two-month anniversary."

She wondered…

"Matt. Looks like it's lighting round time. Where did we first meet?"

"I…" Matt was lost.

Unlike many of the charmed children of Mystic Falls, he wasn't from a founding family. He'd transferred into their little band of misfits when he was eight and his mother had moved him and Vicki from three towns over. Their dead-beat dad drank himself to death, and while everyone in polite society ignored the story, Caroline remembered.

"Come on, Matt," she pushed, "Tick-tock."

"I don't know." He finally admitted. "I don't remember."

"Pity." Caroline leaned forward and smashed his head into the table in front of him. He groaned but didn't pass out. "It was at Elena's ninth birthday party. The two of you were in the same fourth grade class, but Bonnie and I were across the hall with that awful harpy woman. You lose."

She shoved again, and this time when his head connected with wood, it came back bloody. Matt Donovan was down for the count, and Caroline shoved his limp body away. She considered doing the same to Tyler, but it was more torturous for him to watch her with Klaus anyways.

"And look who's the last man standing," Caroline tried not to let herself get intimidated. This was her game after all.

Klaus just chuckled. "Going to ask me when we met, love?"

"That's too easy."

"Ah, but it's not really a fair game if you come up with a harder question just to stump me. Do you really want to win so dishonestly?"

Caroline swayed on her feet.

What did it say about her if she purposefully asked him something he could never know? That she was a cheater and a coward. Too afraid to let Klaus beat her and face the emotions she'd been dodging. But on the other hand…

There was a chance he wouldn't remember.

It had been barely a flash of nothing, and his mind had been on other things. Namely hybrids. There was a chance he'd answer that the first time they met was in her bedroom, when he'd offered her the world. But that wasn't exactly true, was it?

They'd met in a dark classroom, when he'd tormented her friends and turned her boyfriend.

But would he remember that?

And was Caroline willing to bet her humanity that he wouldn't?

"Fine." Caroline gambled. "Where did we first meet, Klaus?"

He smiled, standing from his chair and pacing over to where she stood. When they were face to face, she straightened, hoping to decrease the height difference just a little. She failed.

Tyler groaned when Klaus lifted a hand and ran it through her hair, but Caroline sighed.

"It was on the most important night of my life," Klaus whispered, and Caroline bit back a scoff. "I hadn't planned to go see you, actually. I figured I'd just leave you to your fate, and you'd die as planned."

So far so good, Caroline thought. He was just about to start waxing poetic about the night he'd walked into her bedroom and his life had changed forever. What a sap.

"But I've always been the paranoid sort, so I decided double checking couldn't hurt," Klaus let his hand wander from her hair down to her chin, lifting it up ever so slightly. "I walked down into that decrepit old cellar, where you and Tyler were all chained up, just to make sure I had my vampire and my werewolf ready to go."

Caroline felt her face go slack. This was not what she'd expected.

Klaus didn't even take a beat. "You were barely conscious, too much vervain in your system, you see. But you managed to roll over and look me in the eye. And you knew. Somehow, without ever having met me or seen my face, you just _knew_ who I was. If I remember correctly, you called me a 'sick son of a bitch' and then passed right out again. Charming."

Caroline dug deep into her memories, but she couldn't for the life of her…

But then it was there. She'd thought she'd dreamed that. All she remembered were dark and malevolent eyes staring down at her, and the urge to lash out at whoever they belonged to. Because she had known.

She had known exactly what was about to happen to her, and she'd been _pissed_.

"You…" she couldn't seem to find her voice.

"I win." He gloated.

In a quick motion, he moved his hand from her chin to pat her cheek twice, condescending as ever, before stepping back. Then he swiped the bottle of tequila and toasted to his victory.

Fuck.

* * *

_I see a trail that starts, a line of broken hearts behind you that leads you back to me,_  
_The one sad and lonely fool with nothing left but roots to show._

* * *

**Because let's be honest. Klaus would OWN at Caroline Forbes Trivia.**


	19. Game Night Part 2

Title: Game Night Part 2

Disclaimer: Anything TO or TVD related belongs to the CW

**_Summary: The final part - and I mean FINAL - to Caroline Forbes Trivia Game Night. I hope you're happy, you insatiable Klaronerds._**

* * *

_Well it's been a bumpy road, roller coasters high and low, fill the tank and drive the car, pedal fast pedal hard,_  
_You want to give up cause it's dark, we're really not that far apart._

* * *

Turning it back on had been terrible.

But Klaus had won her game, fair and square, and she knew that if she refused, he'd only chain her up and drain the vervain from her. And he'd make it bloody.

The first few hours she spent curled up under the bar, counting her breaths. In and out. Four hundred fifty two. In and Out. Four hundred fifty three. It was the only thing keeping her grief from crashing into her all over again, and the guilt from swallowing her whole.

Klaus had sat there with her.

For hours and hours, breathing and counting. Breathing and counting.

Finally, she'd uttered the one sentence he'd probably been waiting to hear for the better part of two years.

"Get me out of here."

And he had. Whisked her out of that bar, that town, that entire state. They'd driven across the Louisiana border before she could really register what in the world was happening, but Caroline found she couldn't care much about where she came off her bender. She just wanted off.

If she'd expected Klaus to take care of her, she would have been dead wrong. He had dropped her off with a vampire named Josh, a kid with kind eyes and a quick wit. And strangely, he had been exactly what she needed.

Someone who didn't know her, or her crimes. Who made her laugh, and treated vampirism like the best thing that ever happened to him. There was a kinship there that had felt right somehow. Vampirism had been the best thing to ever happen to Caroline too… once. Josh helped her remember that.

Klaus' afternoon visits were like clockwork though. Lunch, some conversation, a stroll around town, and an "I'll see you tomorrow, Caroline."

More than once she'd caught him threatening Josh with something terribly violent involving a pitchfork if anything happened to her while he was away. She never asked what he did with his other time, and he never offered. She knew there was a tribrid infant snoozing somewhere, and if the rumors were true, a few resurrected Originals running rampant. It all sounded terribly time-consuming, but Klaus never missed a lunch.

Not in three whole months.

And slowly… Caroline recovered.

Very slowly. She had recovered what was left of her soul.

She would never be the same, but maybe that was a good thing? No, not good. Just not bad. Just life.

And last night, she'd finally mustered up the courage to journey across town and crawl into Klaus' bed at 4 a.m. with whispered thanks and quiet confessions on her lips. He'd put up a good fight when she started stripping her clothes off, but the chemistry between them had always been a raging inferno. Try as he might to keep his hands to himself, eventually he'd been buried inside her, moving with passion and purpose.

That had been four orgasms and five hours ago.

"I think… I need… a break…" Caroline gasped out the words she'd been too afraid to say that day in the woods.

Klaus chucked, rolling off of her, breathing fairly heavily himself. "Now was that so hard?"

"Yeah, yeah," Caroline groaned, shifting slightly to press a kiss to his bare shoulder in gratitude. She needed this rest. Just a short one.

Her small movements had her thighs pressing together, and pleasurable tingles sparked between her legs again. Lovely little aftershocks from her fourth consecutive orgasm at Klaus' hands. Well… his hands, his mouth, his cock, his everything.

He'd been… thorough.

Now that they weren't screwing each other like bunnies on a dirty forest floor, Caroline was much more malleable. There were no sticks poking her in the ass, no bark scraping against her back, and most importantly, no ticking clock in the back of her head telling her this had to be over soon.

The sun moving across the sky wasn't a constant reminder that their time was almost up. It was a just a sign that she should probably pop down to the kitchen to get them some food. And some blood.

That thought dampened her good mood.

Blood these days was a duty, not a treat. It was a biological imperative that she must follow, no matter how much each drop reminded her of the three dead innocents on her conscience.

The blonde from her dorm: Chelsea. Three sisters, a grieving single mother, and $15,000 in student loans.

The biochem professor: Dr. Holloway. A wife. No kids. And a golden retriever who had stopped eating the day her master had stopped coming home.

The campus barkeep: Brad. Skeezy and washed up. Cheating on his taxes.

Her body count was low, considering how long she'd had her humanity turned off. But still, they weighed heavily on her mind, their faces surfacing each time she ripped into a new blood bag. She'd researched each one of them, hungry for any information she could find to humanize them. Make them real people in her head, so she'd never forget.

Klaus had called it masochism, but Caroline knew it for what it was. Atonement.

"Caroline," Klaus called her back from her dark thoughts. He could always tell what was on her mind lately. "Let yourself enjoy just one day."

She nodded and stretched again, shaking off the memories of blood and torture and screams. They didn't belong here. Instead, she snuggled deeper into the covers, letting Klaus' voice soothe her nerves as he talked about his plans to renovate one of his old haunts in the Quarter.

* * *

"You listened to a lot of Linkin Park during the millennial years."

Klaus grimaced, but eventually muttered, "True."

"Ha, I knew it!" she made sure to lean up for a kiss to ease his obvious embarrassment. "You… never built anything with your own two hands."

"False," Klaus let said hands drift over her bare back as he answered. "I once built an entire caravel from the ground up. Chopped down the trees, drew up the designs, and hammered every nail."

"Caravel?" she tried to come up with an image of what the hell that was.

"A ship," Klaus clarified, "And it was quite impressive."

Caroline rolled her eyes, but her lips twisted at the wrong guess. It was certainly not her first one. During their little break, Caroline had felt herself falling asleep, which was strictly against the rules. Klaus was determined to pull across that fifth orgasm finish line, breaking his previous record, and while catnaps were approved, sleep was not.

So she'd decided another game of trivia was in order, this time with Klaus as the subject.

Problem was, she knew next to nothing about him. That tended to be the case when one of you had 1000 more years of history to cover. So the game had essentially turned into Caroline guessing random facts, and Klaus answering with true or false.

It was informative, but frustrating. There was so much to cover.

"Your favorite type of dog is… a doberman?"

"Now that's just insulting," Klaus made sure to poke her in the side to show his offense. "False, I'm actually quite fond of mutts. They can be trained to perform the same tasks as dogs who are bred for it, and they have far fewer health problems."

Caroline bit her lip, thinking up a new guess. "You started drawing before you were a vampire."

He smiled. "True."

"How old were you?" she couldn't help but be curious. He'd rarely talked of his human years with her, and it was baffling to ever think of him as anything but an immortal.

"I don't recall, actually," Klaus' eyes drifted up as he tried to remember, but he came up blank. "All I remember is the day Mikael found my sketches, and how angry he was. He wanted his sons to be warriors, not peddlers. He ripped them all to pieces and then-"

He stopped dead, unwilling or unable to go further, but Caroline just pressed herself close, "And then what?"

Klaus grit his teeth, but continued, "Then he tied me to the sharpening block out back while he worked over each weapon we owned. He could have sliced off my face that day, but he probably hoped it would teach me to respect the sword more than pen."

Caroline noticed how he avoided her eyes, afraid to see pity there. But there was no pity in her. Just rage.

Absolute, consuming, fiery rage at a father who had tormented his children. Stamped out every kind and gentle part of them, pushing them farther and farther towards the monsters they became. The Klaus lying beside her now didn't deserve her pity - he done far worse to strangers than what Mikael had ever done to him - but the boy he had been… he deserved her compassion. So she saved it for him.

"You've never tasted macaroni and cheese." Caroline offered up gently, knowing any commentary on his story would not be what he wanted.

"True," Klaus managed a smile, grateful to be moving on. "And I never will. If anything in the world can kill me, it's that mush your generation deigns to call food."

"Bite your tongue!" Caroline exclaimed. "It's the food of the gods, and one day, I'll trick you into eating it."

Klaus grinned. "One day, hmm?"

They were both aware what her little slip of the tongue implied. She'd have to be sticking around for one day to work out, and they both knew she had a tendency to cut and run whenever they took a step forward. This little sex marathon of theirs definitely qualified as a step.

Not to mention the three months of what could essentially be called dating.

"New Orleans isn't so very terrible," Caroline traced patterns on his chest, and she felt his arms tighten around her imperceptibly. "I could stand to stay a little longer."

"I'm glad to hear it."

He kissed her softly and lazily, with no signs of rush or restraint. Just happiness.

And he was. Genuinely and perfectly happy to hear that she planned to stay, no matter how open-ended her idea of 'a little longer' might be. It was a relief to see this free and clear attitude from him when it came to the topic of their relationship. He wanted her to stay, but he wouldn't keep her if she decided to go.

Somehow she'd always expected that once she allowed him to sweep her off her feet, he'd hold her to that decision forever. She was happy to be wrong.

She deepened their kiss, throwing a leg over his hips in the process.

"Mmm," Klaus mumbled against her lips. "Break over then?"

"Very over."

She dove back in, glad that they hadn't bothered to put their clothes back on. It made it impossibly easy for her to slide a hand down and grab his hardening cock. She'd barely gotten two good strokes in though, before she felt two hands on her ass, lifting her up and launching her forward. When she landed, her knees were on either side of Klaus' head, and her center was positioned directly over his mouth.

Caroline had read about this type of thing in a few of her very naughty, very worn romance novels, but she'd never partaken. Partly because it seemed somehow dirtier than regular oral - she was sitting on his face for christsakes - and partly because it was hard enough to get a guy to go down on you in the first place. Something like this would have been out of the question.

Klaus didn't seem to have a problem with it though, and after about two seconds of his tongue on her, Caroline didn't either.

She grabbed for the headboard in front her, trying her best not to break it. It didn't take Klaus long to get her unbearably wet, and she heard him groan at the taste of her. She felt it too, which had her grinding down on him with her need for more. Her mouth fell open as she found just the right pressure.

He held her still though, and Caroline had never been more frustrated with their mismatched strengths.

Breathing heavy and crying out at every new swipe of his tongue, Caroline figured that this was probably as good as life could get. A gorgeous man whose favorite pastime was making her come, a new city with endless opportunities, and a clean slate as far as anyone else was concerned. Things could not possibly get any better than-

"Oh god," Caroline's hips nearly surged out of Klaus grasp when he sucked her clit into his mouth. It did get better. It got so much better. "Ah, ah, Klaus, I'm-" he knew exactly what she was, and he propelled her closer towards that edge, until she fell right over it.

Her whole body shook, and Caroline's firm hold on the wooden headboard in front of her was possibly the only thing keeping her upright. When last bit of pleasure finally left her, Klaus rectified the problem by taking her down to the bed again, laying her out beneath him.

"I don't… want this to go… to your head," Caroline breathed heavily, a contented smile on her face. "But dear god, you are absolutely amazing at that."

Klaus just hummed in contentment, peppering kisses on her neck and face. She'd barely caught her breath before she felt his hardness sliding into her, and she moaned helplessly as she automatically clenched around him. He was trying to kill her. Murder via orgasm. Definitely.

"I say we make it an even six." Klaus whispered, brushing his lips against he shell of her ear. "Yes?"

God help her, Caroline was totally on board with that. She could only nod eagerly.

Her over-sensitized body didn't take long to get with the program, and in no time at all she was panting and moaning, on the brink of ecstasy again. Klaus kept his eyes on her the whole time, like just the sight of her in so much pleasure was enough for him. He hooked a hand under her knee and hitched it up, a Caroline was embarrassed at the noise she made. Anyone passing by would think he was killing her.

When she fell apart again, calling out his name in a frantic, high-pitched scream, her nails dug into his ass as she tried to pull him closer. Deeper. More. Her own name was a roar on his lips as he lost himself, finishing with a final few jerks of his hips.

His forehead came to rest on her chest, and he groaned before collapsing right on top of her. Seems like she wasn't the only one with zero energy left.

Caroline laughed. She couldn't help it.

She'd defeated the mightiest Original with just six hours of sex. Another giggle bubbled out of her, and she felt herself snort a little.

Klaus lifted his head, his eyes blurry and unfocused, with a terribly confused look on his face. That only had her laughing harder. Whatever hilarious madness had seized her, it must have been contagious because after a few seconds Klaus was chuckling too. They lay there, one draped over the over, laughing like idiots until there were stitches in both their sides.

Eventually, Klaus lifted himself off of her, but he hovered for minute, looking down at the woman beneath him.

She was sure the grin that still painted his face was mirrored on hers, and Caroline thought for the first time that she hadn't felt this happy in months. Years maybe. And she felt it with Klaus, of all people.

The way he looked at her now nearly stopped her heart.

His eyes were so full. Full of questions and secrets and feelings that seemed to brim over the longer she looked into them. He was a total mystery and yet completely open to her in this moment.

If you had told Caroline when she first met him that Klaus could ever look at someone like this, with so much love and adoration and easy enjoyment…

She almost couldn't believe it herself. Happy was a good look on him, and it was something she wanted to see more of. Much more.

"You want to tell me you love me." Caroline breathed, so sure about this one.

Klaus didn't even flinch. "True."

Caroline nodded, the smile never leaving her face, though she thought it might have grown wider. He didn't say it, and neither did she, but they had 'one day,' so it really didn't matter.

* * *

_So let your heart, sweet heart be your compass when you're lost, and you should follow it wherever it may go_  
_When it's all said and done you can walk instead of run cause no matter what you'll never be alone_

* * *

**And DONE. Do you guys think I'll ever write another stand alone piece? Ever?**


	20. Stubborn Love

**Title:** Stubborn Love

**Disclaimer**: Anything TVD related belongs to the CW.

_**Summary: **_This is a bit of a twist on llgwrites drabble prompt (since when am I capable of writing a freaking drabble? this turned into a monster) about Klaroline bloodsharing causing dreams like in True Blood. _**  
**_

I strayed a little bit, and as always, this one got a little sexy.

* * *

_It's better to feel pain, than nothing at all, the opposite of love's indifference_  
_So pay attention now, I'm standing on your porch screaming out, and I won't leave until you come downstairs_

* * *

Blood sharing was a tricky business, Klaus knew that.

Blood was everything to a vampire. It was how they'd been created, what they needed to survive, and the single thing that would never change about them, no matter how many eons they were on this earth. Blood was everything.

And because of that, sharing blood often led to… side effects.

There was a reason vampires didn't do it for fun.

Putting aside the emotional and physical connection that came hand in hand with sharing your most essential makeup with someone else, you were also playing around with a hell of a lot of magic. Magic was infused in their every drop after all, it was what kept them eternal.

A single dose of his blood in Caroline's system was normal. Nothing to worry about. The second had been a risk, but she had been _dying_.

And that risk had not panned out in Klaus' favor. None of his risks were lately.

He could only thank the gods that he'd barely ingested any of her blood or the odd link that now existed between them would flow both ways. As it was, the one-sided connection was bad enough.

_The grill was packed with teenagers, music, and alcohol. The perfect setting for the perfect party. Damn, could she deliver on a promise._

_Now if only she could find-_

_"Where is it?"_

_Caroline's head whipped around to find a very irate Damon Salvatore standing behind her. Why did he look so angry? She'd done exactly what he'd asked, like she always had. Except that wasn't true this time, was it? He'd asked for a necklace, and she'd been unable to give it to him. For some reason, that gave her an uncomfortable itch. Not being able to follow through on an order. It was... wrong somehow._

_"Bonnie won't give it to me." she sighed._

_"Then rip it off her neck." Damon loomed in close, showing his irritation._

_Caroline shrunk away. "I tried, it shocked me."_

_Surely he could see that wasn't her fault? She'd done her best. She had._

_"Dammit," Damon growled, "Why does it do that? I need that crystal."_

_"Why are you being like this?" Caroline pushed in close, hoping to calm him down. If she could just get him back in a good mood... "I'm so good to you, and I'd do anything. It's just some stupid necklace."_

_Wrong thing to say._

_"No." Damon jerked her hands off of him. "_You _are the only stupid thing here. And shallow. And useless."_

_Caroline watched him walk away, her brave smile slipping slowly from her face. Stupid. Shallow. Useless. These were the descriptors her boyfriend chose for her. The boy she'd dedicated herself to completely since meeting him. The boy she's stolen for, lied for, lived for. The boy who was supposed to... love her? Wasn't that how this fairy tale was supposed to play out?_

_She grit her teeth together, lifting her eyes to keep any stray tears from falling. Then she headed towards the bar._

Klaus woke with a jolt, trying to suppress the urge to go rip Damon Salvatore limb from fucking limb.

That was the second time in as many days that he'd slipped into unconsciousness only to be catapulted into Caroline's memories. Sometimes they were normal, everyday activities. Other times they were incredibly private, personal moments. This had obviously been the latter.

The worst part was that it felt as though he were entirely inside Caroline's head during these flashes of memory. He knew exactly what she was thinking, feeling, all of it.

That last memory had shown him nothing but pain and dejection. A girl who truly believed that she was nothing and nobody. And she never would be. Klaus wanted to smash something.

How had Caroline allowed herself to be treated that way? She had only been human, compelled into submission, but it still seemed so counter to the strong, fiery girl he knew. How had she not know she was the bloody sun, and Damon Salvatore was only a leech trying to bask in her light?

Klaus rolled over, shaking off the dream and trying to get back to sleep. Perhaps he'd pay Damon a visit tomorrow.

* * *

The first time Caroline became aware of the... odd consequences of their blood sharing was at a cheerleading competition of all places.

He hadn't meant to slip up, honestly. He wasn't even supposed to be there, not with Katerina on the loose. But the best way to Katherine was through Stefan, and Stefan was currently babysitting his humanity-less doppelganger. Apparently Elena without her emotions was... peppy. Go figure.

And seeing Caroline in that getup? The short skirt, the ponytail, the glitter on her cheeks? It had reminded him of a particularly racy memory he'd recently witnessed, and he couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face.

"You're laughing at me?" Caroline's hands went to her hips, ready to start in on him. "Seriously?"

"Not at all, love," Klaus tried to reassure her, "Just filing the image away for later use."

Caroline rolled her eyes, "Like I'd ever indulge your creepy cheerleader fetish."

"Wouldn't be your first time, though, would it?"

Caroline froze and Klaus froze right along with her. He wasn't supposed to know that. It had been back from her human days. When she'd dallied with one of the seniors on the football team. He'd had a thing for the uniform, and she'd been more than happy to wear it for him on special occasions. She'd actually enjoyed the whole thing quite a bit herself, if her memories were any indication, not that she'd ever admit to it.

"What did you just say?" Caroline growled at him.

He hesitated for a split second. Long enough for Caroline to see the truth in his eyes and start demanding answers. And like always, Klaus caved to her will. Caroline held a strange power over him - even more these days than usual - and he found it impossible to lie about the connection he'd created between them.

He dished about the repeated blood sharing, the side effects, and the shared memories. All of it, right down to the last little detail.

"Why would you feed me your blood if you knew this could happen?" she demanded

"You would rather have died then?" Klaus found the idea ridiculous. "It's an impossibly rare condition, much like the sire bond. I figured it was worth the gamble."

Caroline scoffed "Worth the gamble? So what, now you can see anything you want?" she questioned, panicking.

Klaus tried to calm her. "Of course not, it's not some power I hold over you, it's merely a side effect. I have no control over what I see any more than you do."

"Does it go away?" Caroline swallowed, still uncomfortable.

"It should."

"When?"

"I don't know, Caroline." Klaus shrugged, hoping to be done with the conversation. "Eventually."

She threw a pom-pom in his face for the vague answer. "Figure it out. I don't want you in my head. Not ever."

Klaus tried not to be insulted by that. There were worse, more judgmental people to let into your inner-most thoughts and secrets. Surely he wasn't so bad? Regardless, he couldn't exactly stop the memories from coming, so they were both up the stream, so to speak, until the side effects stopped.

If they stopped...

* * *

Klaus found his vendetta for Katerina Petrova renewed when the news that she had been spotted nearby dropped in his lap.

Perhaps it was because he had been focusing on her, or perhaps because Caroline had been too? He could never tell with this tricky little bond of theirs. But from across the grill, he saw Stefan give her the news, and her eyes glazed over with the remnants of fear.

Caroline feared Katherine, even to this day. Why was that?

_Her heels clicked on the hardwood floors of the Lockwood mansion, an elegant mask dangling from her fingertips. She needed to time this perfectly, or else-_

_And hand flashed out of nowhere, and suddenly Katherine Pierce had her pinned to the wall, one hand yanking on Caroline's hair and questions snarling in her ear._

_"What's going on?" Katherine demanded, letting her know that she would not be asking a second time._

_Still, Caroline tried to evade. "I don't know. Nothing."_

_Katherine flipped her around, making sure to slam her violently back into the wall once she was turned. "Don't lie to me, Caroline. They're up to something. What is it?"_

_"I-" the denial didn't even make it past Caroline's lips before Katherine squeezed on her throat, popping something in her neck. "Wait, no, no, no! Okay!" Caroline whimpered pathetically, "They're trying to kill you."_

_"I figured as much," Katherine rolled her eyes. "Where's the moonstone?"_

_"Bonnie has it," Caroline whispered. She looked down and tried to even out her breathing. She just needed to hold out a little longer..._

_"And where's Bonnie right now?"_

_This time Caroline's eyes shot up to meet Katherine's defiantly. "I don't know." Katherine wasted no time, and Caroline was once again lifted up against the wall by the neck. She squirmed, trying to fight through the pain, but she couldn't. It was too much. It hurt dammit! And she was afraid._

Klaus felt his grip tighten on the glass of bourbon in front of him. Caroline had been a defenseless baby vampire, unable to protect herself from her domineering master. He'd seen it happen dozens of times over the centuries, hell, he'd been the master more often than not. But here? It made his blood boil, and his determination to hunt Katerina to her end became stronger than ever.

He hadn't felt this much hatred for the trollop since she'd been a conniving little peasant girl, running through the woods. Bravo, Katerina. Still finding ways to enrage him, even now.

_"Okay!" Caroline choked. "She's upstairs! She's upstairs!"_

_Katherine dropped her, satisfied. But just when Caroline thought she was finally free, the older vampire grabbed a lock of her hair and dragged her up the stairs. She would not be led on a wild goose chase while Caroline escaped._

_"Please, I don't want any part of this!" Caroline begged, as Katherine pulled her along._

Klaus almost felt a smidgen of guilt at Caroline's begging.

Katerina had only dragged her into that whole mess to be _his _vampire sacrifice. The guilt didn't last long. He wasn't responsible for that atrocities that harpy committed.

_"Shut up. Which room is it?" Katherine ignored Caroline's pleads._

_Pathetically, Caroline sniffled and pointed to the double doors in front of them. "That one."_

_The doppelganger stormed through, searching for the witch in question, angry when she found the room empty. "Where is she?_

_Caroline sobs turned to giggles, and even her tears seemed suddenly victorious. She'd won this round, finally. Katherine was going to die tonight, and Caroline would be free. That felt amazing, and there was surprisingly no guilt to be found in her. Caroline sighed. It was like she could breathe again._

_"I did it," Caroline smirked, hands on her hips. "I really didn't think that I'd be able to fool... you. But I did it."_

_With an aggravated growl, Katherine lunged for her mutinous minion, but she was very suddenly thrown back into the room. "What the..."_

_Caroline cocked her head to the side and smiled, safe on the other side of the door. "Goodbye, Katherine."_

Klaus smirked, reveling in Caroline's victory. She'd turned Katherine's low opinion of her into a weapon. Clever girl.

From his spot at the bar, Klaus could see Caroline setting her shoulders back, possibly reliving that same memory. Katherine was nothing to be afraid of if you could out think her. It was not an easy task, but Caroline was up for it. They both knew it.

Her eyes found his, and he raised his glass in a toast to her.

Maybe she'd never know that he shared that little memory with her, but then maybe she would? The only response she gave him was a slight pull of her lips, before she grabbed her purse and exited the grill. He watched her go, reminding himself to compel a few town citizens to keep an eye on her house. Katerina wasn't likely to go after Caroline if she ever returned to Mystic Falls, but one could never be too safe.

* * *

The last memory he ever received from Caroline's subconscious was also the best.

He was on his way out of town, leaving Mystic Falls for good. He'd missed most of Caroline's valedictorian speech, but he could always see another in ten or fifteen years. Caroline seemed like the type to return to her schooling over and over again as the centuries passed.

His whole body still seem to vibrate from the contact she'd allowed him tonight.

A kiss on the cheek.

A arm looped through his.

A tight squeeze of his hand in hers as she said goodbye.

He'd be back for her one day, and it wouldn't be too terribly far in the future if he had anything to say about it.

He wondered if her cheek still tingled like his lips did from that brief brush they'd had an hour ago? Did a simple kiss inspire the same fire in her that it did in him?

And that's all it took.

_Her breathing was heavy, and every now and then she had to turn her face into the pillows to stifle a cry of pleasure._

_"Hmm, yes," she moaned, spurring her lover on.  
_

_Above her, Tyler moved with the same heavy breaths, and she wrapped her legs tighter around him to change their angle. He groaned as he sank deeper inside her, his mouth falling open in ecstasy. Caroline smiled. Boys were so easy._

Klaus wrinkled his nose, trying to focus on the road in front of him instead of the images in his head. This was not a memory he'd ever wanted to see.

_She felt Tyler's lips skate across her neck, and unbidden, an image popped into her head that had her gasping out loud. Klaus' lips had been pressed to that very spot when he'd sunk his teeth into her. And then again, his hands had stroked her smoothed over skin after he'd healed her with his blood._

_Her lust filled mind ran away with her, and before she knew it, she was imagining Klaus hovering over her, moving inside her, nibbling on her neck just over her pulse. Her grip tightened, and she felt herself grow impossibly wet against the hard body inside her. Holy hell, that worked for her. God, did it work._

Hundreds of miles and many months away, Klaus smiled. Now wasn't this interesting?

_She was going to hell._

_She was absolutely, 100 percent, certainly going to hell for this, but she couldn't stop. Her body and brain were at odds with each other, and no matter how much her mind fought, her body would not be denied. The groans in her ear were now Klaus', the hard thrusts sinking into her were Klaus', the hands firmly pulling her hips upwards were Klaus'. And Caroline spiraled. Her sighs became keens, and heavy breathing became desperate panting._

_God yes. Oh more. Oh Klaus._

_Caroline had to fight to keep those words in her head. And it was a struggle. _

_Instead she clung tightly to the muscled back arching over her, and she used her legs to urge the hips pounding into hers to move faster._

_"Mmm, Care." Tyler's voice was wrecked. He'd never seen her this wild for him before, and it was clearly driving him crazy._

_But his voice wasn't accented and adoring, it was deep and desperate. And it was killing her fantasy. That's all it was right? A silly fantasy? She was sure that once or twice, Tyler had accidentally imagined he had Megan Fox in his bed with him, or that Mila Kunis was the one riding him into oblivion. It was just an innocent bit of make believe. A one time thing._

Klaus couldn't help but agree, hoping against hope that she hadn't ended up talking herself out what he was sure was coming.

Caroline writhing in bed, picturing him pleasuring her... it was like Christmas had come early.

_She pulled Tyler to her and kissed him deeply, hoping to shut him up. It had the added bonus of keeping her from sighing the wrong name._

_He didn't seem to mind, and she carried on with her illusion._

_It Klaus' hand fisting in her hair, and his strained breathing puffed against her lips. He was losing it, so close and so turned on. He was crazy for her, just like she always knew he would be. _

_Klaus picked up his pace, and Caroline fangs slowly slid out as she climbed higher towards that peak. She could remember the taste of Klaus' blood on her lips. How delicious it had been, and how full of life and energy and power it was._

_She could practically hear Klaus' accented voice in her ear now, luxuriating in her bloodlust. "There they are," he'd sigh and lick at her fangs in between kisses. "Absolutely gorgeous. Do you want another taste, Caroline? Go on, love. Have at it."_

_Caroline couldn't stop the small scream the escaped her, or the way her muscles started to contract around the hot, hard flesh moving in and out of her._

Swallowing down his own lust, Klaus' grip tightened on the steering wheel. She was so close, and it was him she was thinking of. Him she was imagining rutting against her, whispering dirty things in her ear. Klaus nearly turned the car right around. Eternal promises be damned, he wanted inside Caroline right now.

But the memory played on, and there was nothing in the world that could pull his attention away.

_She was almost there, and everything was tightening and spinning and just-a-little-bit-more..._

_"There you go, sweetheart," Klaus' voice echoed in her head again. "Just like that."_

_The orgasm that rocked through her was the most intense Caroline had ever know. Her eyes slammed shut, and she nearly screamed herself hoarse with how loudly she cried out, over and over again. Her back arched and her hips lifted right off the bed, meeting with Klaus' as his hammered down into her with his own finish._

_Hot breaths against her neck was the first sensation she could feel outside of the heavenly pleasure between her legs. Tyler snuggled into her with an "I love you," before passing out beside her, and it hit her what exactly she'd just done._

_Oh god._

_She was going to hell._

Of all the things to go to hell for, getting off to the wrong person in bed didn't seem high on Klaus' list, but he could still feel Caroline's guilt. And the secret longing to do it again. And again. And every time thereafter.

He smirked, knowing that just the idea of him had made her come harder than any tricks those other boys had tried before.

Klaus pulled over to the side of road, not embarrassed at all to be touching himself to memory he'd just had. Fair was fair after all. When he'd come with Caroline's name a roar on his lips, he cleaned himself back up and debated his next move. Returning to Mystic Falls, no matter how tempting, was not in his plans. He had a city to conquer and ingrates to put down. And Caroline needed time. Time to miss him, to realize what he was offering, and to come to terms with what she truly wanted.

He could wait.

There were no more memories after that, and Klaus couldn't be too bothered by the return to normalcy.

They'd served their purpose, showing him the girl Caroline had been, the vampire she'd become, and the woman she longed to be. He'd be forever grateful for the small peek inside her head, but loving someone meant allowing them their secrets.

He certainly hoped Caroline had quite a few more for him when she turned up at his door one day.

* * *

_And I don't blame you dear for running like you did all these years,_  
_I would do the same, you'd best believe._

* * *

**And there you have it! A sexy little Klaroline drabble (okay oneshot) to tide you over as we enter finale season. Aka where the stupid gets STUPIDER. **


	21. Bright

**Title**: Bright

**Disclaimer**: Anything TVD or TO related belong to the CW

_**Summary: This literally came out of nowhere at 3am last night. The Klaroline writer's mind is a mysterious place. **_

* * *

_Did you see that shooting star tonight? Were you dazzled by the same constellation?_  
_Did you and Jupiter conspire to get me? I think you and the Moon and Neptune got it right_

* * *

All too often, Klaus forgot that Caroline was in fact an 18-year-old high school student, rather than the bold, beautiful vampire he planned to spend eternity with.

There was something about her that was too alluring, too clever to ever think of her in terms of those mindless children she spent her days with. But she did spend her days with them. And most weekends too. And the occasional late night cheerleading practice or study group. Which was why he shouldn't have been surprised that he couldn't seem to find her anywhere during this last week of May.

It just never occurred to him that she might have other things to deal with than Silas' impending world of doom. And with the immortal trickster running around, he felt… obligated to check up on her. Just to make sure all was well.

He checked her house first. Nothing. Not even a light on.

Then he dropped by the Lockwood mansion, and the Salvatore boarding house, and even the police station where her mother spent most of her waking hours.

Nothing.

He got so worried that eventually, he stooped so low as to ask - demand, he demanded - Elena tell him where to find his Caroline. At first she seemed reluctant. None of Caroline's friends approved of his infatuation or Caroline's indulgence of it. When he reminded her of the very real threat they all faced, she gave in.

"It's finals week, Klaus." Elena deadpanned. "She probably hasn't left the library in three days."

Finals.

Of course.

Caroline was graduating from high school soon, but to do that, she had to complete her end of year exams like everyone else. And while all her friends were trapped in the magical rat race that Silas has constructed for them, he should have known that Caroline would not let anyone or anything come between her and her perfect score.

So he took off for the library, even though it should have long since closed to the public. Compulsion was a marvelous thing, and he expected Caroline employed it for her personal benefit more than she liked her friends to believe.

Sure enough, he found her book bag and several notebooks with her loopy handwriting etched all over them at a table in the back.

But no Caroline.

Closing his eyes and listening for her, he caught small sounds of rustling from the second floor. A page turning and the slight creaking of metal. He was there in a flash.

Caroline stood before a telescope of all things. A rickety, American-public-school-system-funded telescope no doubt. She peered through the small eyepiece for a moment and then returned to the book in her hand to check the page. Then back to the telescope. Letting loose a sigh of irritation, she snapped the book shut and reached for another.

All the time, she muttered to herself in an annoyed tone. "Every other sex-crazed idiot took Anatomy, but no, I had to be different and challenged. A.P Astronomy? What the fuck, Caroline?"

"You know," he approached the frazzled looking blonde slowly, but she didn't even jump, so fierce was her concentration. "Some girls might stay put at home when an immortal sociopath declares war on their hometown."

Caroline didn't even raise her head to look at him. "That would have made for a pretty boring senior year, seeing as you've been in town for months now."

"Har, har," Klaus pretended not to be be amused by her jab. He had to admit, he'd left that one wide open. "I was talking about Silas."

"And I was ignoring you." Caroline kept her eyes on her book. Just when he thought he'd have to try a little harder to grab her attention, her gaze snapped up to his. "Hey, you're super old."

Klaus ground his teeth together. "You say the nicest things."

"No, I mean," she waved off his irritation, "You were around when Halley's Comet was here last time, right?"

He furrowed his brow. What an odd question. "Yes," he answered slowly, "And the time before that and the time before that…"

"Yeah, yeah, you're old as dirt," she rolled her eyes, "Do you remember what quadrant it usually appears in? These dumb books keep talking about the origin and trajectory, but that's not going to help me if I can't figure out where the hell to look."

"Well, I'd wager you have quite a few years left to figure it out." Klaus joked.

"No," Caroline slammed another book shut, "I have two hours to finish this paper before I move on to the French Revolution."

For the first time, Klaus noticed that Caroline looked… less than pristine. Her hair was falling out of a rather sloppily done ponytail, a highlighter had quite obviously exploded on her grey shirt at some point or another, and she was wearing sweatpants for the first time since he'd met her. Pink ones that had a rather crude suggestion written on the back. It seemed studying took precedence over appearance for Caroline these days, not that he was all that surprised. Perfectionists tended to be hyper-focused, and Caroline took perfection to a new level.

Klaus approached slowly as she tore through another book. "Don't you think it might be time for a break, love?"

"Nope." Caroline flipped and flipped and flipped.

"Not even a short one to… clear your head a bit?"

"Breaks are not in the schedule," Caroline shook her head, then flicked her eyes up to glare at him. "Don't mess with the schedule."

"I wouldn't dream of it," he held his hands up in surrender. "But I can help you with your comet problem and get you some fresh air at the same time, if you like?"

Caroline looked annoyed at even the suggestion, but then she looked back at her useless textbook forlornly. After checking her watch one more time, she nodded reluctantly. Klaus grinned, grabbing a book off her pile and then extending his hand to her. She looked like the last thing she wanted to do was hold his hand, but he figured sleep deprivation might have been weakening her resolve against him because she took it none the less.

In less than minute, they were up on the roof, and he saw her take a deep breath of the night air. Again, he wondered just how long she'd been holed up in that musty little library.

"I admit, I missed Halley's Comet last time it came round," Klaus confessed, flipping through the mostly useless textbook. "The eighties were a bit of a blur to be honest."

"You rocked the neon and did a lot coke, didn't you?" Caroline laughed quietly to herself.

"Hardly," he shot her a dour look, "But 76 year intervals tend to feel quite common once you've rounded your 900th birthday."

Caroline sighed and shook her head, constant in her refusal to be impressed by his age and importance like so many others. It irked him as much as it pleased him, if he were completely honest.

Checking the sky and then looking back to the book, he tried his best to remember the last time he'd seen the damn thing. "I do remember it appeared in the east, and moved north in the early 1900s. I was in New Orleans at the time and there was a festival that lasted all night and into the weekend, long after the comet disappeared. But that's New Orleans for you."

"East?" Caroline piped up, ignoring the rest of his story. She moved in close to look at the book he held, which was open to a fairly accurate star chart. "So here?"

She pointed a the lower right quadrant of the map, then looked to him for clarification. He tried valiantly to ignore the fact that the only other times they'd been this close was when he had danced with her in his arms. She seemed to pay no attention to their proximity though, so he wasn't going to ruin the moment by commenting.

"Close," he corrected her, placing his hand over hers and moving her finger to the correct spot. "It starts here, just below Capricornus, then it makes its way north," he slowly moved their joined hands across the map, "Up towards Pegasus. You tend to lose sight of it once it nears Polaris - what you call the north star."

Caroline moved her eyes from the book to the sky, finally having a point of reference she recognized. She let their hands stay rested together, which was another surprise for him.

Unwilling to break the moment, Klaus dug up any other facts he could remember from his sightings. "It burns faintly at first, near the horizon, so most people don't even see it. It gets brighter and brighter as it moves across the sky, the tail appearing longer and longer as it travels. It's a trick of the eye based on velocity really, but it's still marvelous to look at. You begin to feel like you could stare at it forever."

Caroline listened with rapt attention, her eyes still trained on the stars above her. "How long does it last?" she asked quietly.

"Weeks really, if you know where to look."

"Weeks?" she seemed shocked. "I figured it was more like a shooting star. Blink and you'll miss it, you know?"

Caroline kept her eyes on the sky, and Klaus kept his on her. "Humans have a strange fascination with fleeting beauty. I supposed it reminds them of their own transient nature. I, myself, tend to favor the kind of beauty that lasts. This comet, for instance. You only spot it for a short period of time, but it's always out there, somewhere in the universe, just as beautiful with no one watching as when an entire planet turns its eyes to see. And even though it leaves, it will always return, again and again to the same place. It's just in its nature."

At his final words, Caroline tore her gaze from the night sky to gaze at him. They were so close their noses could have brushed together if one of them would only lean forward, but neither of them did.

Eventually, Caroline spoke up, but she didn't break the dreamy sort of stasis that hung between them. "As a kid I always felt so cheated that the comet was here a few years before I was born. I knew I'd be old and grey the next time it came around, and that seemed less… exciting somehow. But now…"

"Now you'll be young and exciting each time it appears. In fifty years, and two hundred, and two thousand."

"Two thousand might be a bit of a stretch," she smiled jovially, completely unaware of how her denial wounded him. The thought of a world without Caroline… it was not something he liked to indulge in. Ever.

"You never know," he just shrugged.

The thought seemed to fester inside of her, inspiring neither hope nor worry for the future. Mostly, she just seemed unable to grasp that huge span of time as it related to her. A common problem for most new immortals.

"Well," Caroline finally pulled away, unlinking their hands and taking her book back, "Thanks for the help, but I should probably get back to it. Lots of studying to do, and I'll be damned if Helen Masters snakes my valedictorian spot out from under me."

"Heaven forbid," Klaus smirked back at her. Caroline really was something else. "Perhaps I'll stay and do a bit of light reading, if you don't mind the company?"

Leaving Caroline on her own in a public place didn't sit well with him. Silas was still running around, and there was no telling what that mad man would do next.

She nodded politely, likely understand his need to stay and seeming grateful for it for a change. "It's a free country."

For the rest of the night - and well into the morning - Klaus watched the young vampire flit between this project and that. Making flash cards, typing up ten page papers, flipping through notes, old and new. She never seemed to tire, and she kept to her timetable (which he now noticed had been written up on a whiteboard she'd absconded with) with impeccable precision. Caroline Forbes could probably conquer the world through sheer force of will if she wanted. Or at least a small city state.

He watched her give her valedictorian speech a week later, in front of all of her peers, and he promised to be her last love under the stars that had so entranced the both of them.

And then he left, as he always knew he would have to, knowing that one day Caroline would return to him. It was just in her nature.

* * *

Life dragged on like it always did.

Decades sliding by like misty afternoons, there and gone again before you really even noticed.

Klaus tried not to keep track of her, and for the most part he succeeded. Caroline didn't need or want his company at the moment, and he would not force it upon her. He'd made it quite clear that what was between them had no expiration date, so he could hardly fault her for taking advantage of the offer.

And then, as if she'd intended it this way all along, it happened.

The entire city of Santa Cruz was buzzing, preparing for the event of the century. The comet that most would only see once in their finite lifetime. Klaus himself had decided not to take part in the festivities, choosing instead to stay inside for the few nights where the comet would appear most brilliantly in the sky. It brought back memories that made him long for a small town in Virginia and all night study sessions with rooftop interludes.

He chose to paint the night sky instead, as it had appeared all those years ago with her.

"We're going to miss it, you know."

Klaus nearly dropped the brush in his hand. He snapped his head around, not actually believing that she would really…

But there she was.

Caroline, hair cropped shorter than he'd last seen it, stood in a delicate blue sundress with a pair of binoculars in her hand. Not even his own shock could keep the genuine smile off of his face. After fifty years, here she was. Sneaking up on him like she had every right to do so.

"Caroline," he let her name slip slowly off his lips, and he was pleased to see her shiver slightly at the sound. Very pleased. "What are we going to miss exactly?"

He knew full well what she was talking about, but he wanted to hear how she'd spin it.

"I didn't wait 70 years to see this thing just so you could ruin it for me with your mopey painting," Caroline walked surely towards him and offered her hand. "So lets get up to the roof already."

Who could argue with that?

After gathering food, blood, blankets, and several other_ totally necessary _items as Caroline demanded, they made the trek up to his roof. It was a rather large and private area on the outskirts of town with a completely unobstructed view of the sky. He couldn't say he was entirely unaware of these benefits when he'd purchased the place last month.

Together, they lay beneath the stars for hours, gazing up at the faint streak of light that moved much more slowly than Caroline had ever imagined. Sometimes they talked, sometimes they sat in silence, and sometimes Caroline reached to link their fingers together, brushing the pad of her thumb against his hand.

"How long are you planning to stay in our fair city?" Klaus finally asked as the sun began to peak over the horizon and the comet faded from view.

"I'm just here to catch the comet," Caroline clarified, dashing his hopes.

He smiled as best he could, accepting her short visit for what it was. "A quick trip then."

"Maybe," Caroline shrugged, barely keeping a secretive smile off her face. "But did you know you can spot that thing for weeks if you know where to look?"

Her grin was infectious, and Klaus felt a smile creep onto his own face. "Yes, I think I heard that somewhere."

The next three weeks were spent drinking, dancing, and basically screwing each others brains out. He watched the comet (with the finest telescope money could buy) knowing it was getting farther and farther away each day. When it finally faded into the night sky, Klaus expected Caroline to disappear on him too. But every evening, she'd look up through that telescope and tell him how beautiful the comet was tonight. And he'd look at the blank night sky and agree.

After all, it was still out there somewhere. Beautiful as ever, no matter who was looking.

* * *

_I think the universe is on my side. Heaven and Earth have finally aligned._  
_Days are good and that's the way it should be._

* * *

**This was so random, but I felt the need to write it all the same. Some of the Halley's Comet facts are flubbed, I'll admit. But I did a fair amount of research to make it believable :)**

**And of course, this drabble is dedicated to anyone studying for finals right now. It's a brutal week, but you'll make it through. **


	22. Klaroweek Drabbles

**Title:** Klaroweek Drabbles

**Disclaimer: **Anything TO or TVD related belongs to the CW

Summary: This is a compilation of all of my Klaroweek drabbles, from music prompts, to puppy prompts, to totally random stuff I thought up on my own. It's going to be a pretty messy chapter with a lot of hopping around, but I think you guys can handle it.

* * *

**_Training_**

So my attempts at puppy!Caroline are taking a little longer than expected, which is why I bring you a new puppy scenario. Total AU fluff piece where Caroline is a dog trainer and Klaus has a puppy problem.

Enjoy!

– – –

No one could ever accuse Caroline of being a pushover.

When you faced down 80 lbs Rottweiler's on a weekly basis without a single sign fear, you grew a backbone pretty fast. Don't even get her started on the Chihuahua's. They were Satan's minions, Caroline was sure of it, no matter how much of a dog lover she was.

But there was apparently one unstoppable force Caroline could not stand up to.

His name was Klaus, and he was turning out to be… difficult.

"You run a canine obedience school," his haughty accent only added to his indignation, "I have a canine in need of obedience, I don't see the problem."

"The problem," Caroline explained, trying to keep her voice calm, "Is that I don't run a one-stop-shop, Mr. Mikaelson. You can't just drop your dog off with me and come back next month, that's not how it works."

Klaus rolled his eyes, which only insulted her more. Who rolls their eyes at someone they just met? Where the hell were his manners? He was in _her_front yard. At _her_house. That doubled as _her_training facility. The least he could do was show a little respect.

"I'll pay extra, money isn't an issue."

Oh, now they were in hot water.

"This isn't about money, it's about proper training techniques."

"I'm sure," he nodded indulgently, "But something tells me we're going to find the perfect technique as soon I add the proper number of zeros to my check so if you could–"

Caroline nearly slapped him in his presumptuous little face after that, but her attention go pulled to the presumptuous man in question's car as the thing shook slightly.

"Your dog's eating you car." she pointed behind him.

"Wha-" Klaus turned, "Dammit! NO!"

He rushed to open the door, prying his tenacious Husky puppy off of the steering wheel with all this strength. The rascal must have had the jaws of life though because he held on with everything he had to his new chew toy.

Caroline watched in bemusement as the wheels of rather expensive SUV turned back and forth as Klaus pulled on the puppy and the steering wheel by extension.

"Let go!" he screamed at the animal. "Let go, or I'll turn you into a coat, you disobedient little mongrel!"

Taking pity on the poor, rude man, Caroline whistled high and loud, the clapped her hands together twice. As expected, she got the puppy's attention. With an excited yip, he let go of the wheel and launched himself at her. One, two, three bounds, and he was on her.

Caroline knelt down to the puppy's level, noticing that he was not a husky like she'd originally presumed. He was some sort of wolf/retriever hybrid, and it gave him a nearly feral look.

"Oh, hello!" she preened over the animal in her excited puppy voice. Something told her he wasn't getting a lot of encouragement for his friendly nature from his surly owner. "Aren't you just a wild little man? Yes, you are!"

Klaus skulked over to where she sat rubbing his dog's belly. "Don't praise him for chewing through my Escalade," he growled, "I'm not even a trainer and I know that much. How experienced are you at this sort of thing?"

Caroline ignored his criticism, focusing on the puppy.

Alert eyes, playful nature, and a good, healthy build. This was a quality dog. What on earth was he doing with a grump like Klaus?

"What's his name?" she asked curiously.

"I call him 'menace' or 'mutt' but the breeder's certificate named him Tyler."

"Hi, Tyler," Caroline glowed down at the hybrid, and she was pleased to see him perk up.

Even this young, he knew and recognized his own name. He was a smart one. Easily trainable. His behavioral issues were clearly not his own fault. A lack of discipline and understanding at home… wasn't it always the way?

Klaus folded his arms, apparently not happy to have lost Caroline's attention, "You seem to like him just fine, so do we have a deal? I'll pay room and board for a month, and when I come back to pick him up, he'll behave himself?

"Sorry," Caroline stood back up, crossing her own arms in front of her, "Still not how it works."

"I can't have him in my house," Klaus shook his head in frustration. "He eats everything and pees on my most expensive rug. He's an escape artist who never sleeps, and he goes _nuclear_ whenever there's a thunderstorm. I can't take it anymore."

Caroline finally took pity on the man, seeing how high strung he was. Chances were Tyler wasn't giving him a lot of sleep. "Can I ask why you got a dog?"

"What?"

"Why did you get a dog, Mr. Mikaelson? Was it to please your girlfriend or your mother maybe? Did you just want something cute around to help you pick up girls?"

It was not uncommon that people adopted an animal for all the wrong reasons and then bailed on the responsibility when they realized how much work it was. He didn't seem like the type, but Caroline wasn't ruling it out. And she'd be damned if a puppy with this much potential ended up abandoned at the pound because Klaus couldn't handle him.

"Excuse me?" Klaus, clearly insulted, scoffed at her questions. "I've got no mother or girlfriend to please, and I pick up women fine on my own, thank you."

He even gave her a once over, as if he were considering seducing her just to prove his point. Unexpectedly, Caroline shivered at his assessment. Even more so when she realized he must have liked what he saw. Very much.

Getting back on track, she asked again, "Then why did you go through the trouble of paying a hefty sum of money for a well bred, intelligent animal if you so obviously didn't want one?"

"I never said I didn't want him," Klaus glared at her.

They stared at each other, back and forth, for a long time. Caroline wouldn't give in, and for a moment, it seemed neither would Klaus. Finally, he sighed and threw his head back, exasperated.

Making sure never to establish eye contact, Klaus spoke very low, "I supposed I just wanted someone around. Companionship of some sort. I'm not a particularly sociable person, and I just… I just wanted…"

"A friend?" Caroline finished for him.

He didn't answer, but his look was enough.

Klaus was lonely. Extremely so.

So he'd gone out and gotten a dog. Someone to come home to every night. To snuggle with on the couch. To share scraps from the table with. It was almost cute. Almost.

"Fine, I'll train him," Caroline agreed at last.

Klaus perked up, and Caroline watched the puppy do the same. He sensed his master's excitement and he wanted in on the game. That was promising.

"Excellent," Klaus pulled out his wallet, "How much do I owe you, and when should I be back?"

"It's $30 per class, and you and Tyler should both be back tomorrow at 4:00 pm," she answered and then waited for the hammer to drop.

Klaus narrowed his eyes at her. "I thought we had an agreement."

"We do," she smiled, "But like I said, I'm not a one-stop-shop. You'll come here twice a week for training, and in two months you'll have an entirely different animal living with you. Guaranteed."

He fumed for a minute, but then he seemed to collect himself.

Klaus stepped in closer, just enough to invade her personal bubble, "Isn't there _anything _I could do to persuade you otherwise, Caroline?"

She shivered. She couldn't help it. The way her said her name was just… delicious.

But that didn't mean she was going to be seduced into breaking policy.

Turning around to head back inside, she waved goodbye to him, "See you tomorrow at 4:00!"

He threw his hands up in frustration, but also in defeat. She'd won this round.

As he set about loading the puppy back into his chewed up car, Caroline couldn't help but look forward to spending the next two months with both man and dog.

Perhaps at the end of their time together, she'd be able to train them both?

* * *

**_The One That Got Away_**

peanutmm prompted The One That Got Away by The Civil Wars

An epic Klaroline song if there ever was one. It got a little meta-ish though, since this is a drabble mostly of Caroline's thoughts after the Klarosex.

_I never meant to get us in this deep  
I never meant for this to mean a thing_

_– – – _

It was a sad state of affairs when a single tree could make you sigh with longing.

Caroline shook her head. She shouldn't even be here… It's not like there was still a trace of what had happened months ago. No lingering scent or place marker. No sign that this very tree had been the spot where Caroline Forbes got more than she'd bargained for.

It was just supposed to be a kiss.

A steamy, seductive, toe-curling, breath-hitching kiss, yes. But a single kiss.

Then it hard turned into pulling clothes and desperate gasps and pleasured cries ringing out in the crisp afternoon air.

It had gone too far, that's for sure.

But that wasn't even the half of it.

More and more often, Caroline found herself escaping into these woods when her day was too rough, her classes too hard, or her friends too ridiculous.

Supernatural drama? _Just heading to the woods to clear my head._

Why did you miss you class? _I was… out. Lost track of time._

Where have you been all day, Caroline?_ You know, around._

It was the one place she could think. Where her head seemed clear and calm and firmly on her shoulders instead of spinning out of control.

Unfortunately, most of her "thinking time" was spent on one thought in particular.

Klaus.

Why had she done it? Why had she kissed him and let her whole world get out of control? Well that was an easy one. She'd kissed him because he'd said he was leaving. He was never coming back, and she'd probably never see him again.

The pressure that lifted straight off her shoulders when he'd said those words…

No more worrying about leading him on, about being a tease. No more tip-toeing around any kind words offered to him in fear of encouraging his longing looks and epic declarations. He would be gone. And she would be free.

But also…

He was leaving. He was never coming back. She'd probably never see him again.

The pressure that had lifted off her shoulders had been nothing to the pit forming in her stomach. It was inexplicable and painful, and it kind of reminded her of the rejection letter she'd gotten from Yale.

A tiny dream she'd barely given much thought to. A _maybe_ for the future, if she ever considered veering off the path that she knew she wanted. Graduate high school, go to Whitmore, date a few frat guys, visit her mom, and enjoy the last bit of her childhood as it slipped away. That was the plan.

But still, Caroline had reached for a little more. Just in case.

And that rejection letter had felt like a slap in the face when it should have felt like a passing notice.

Yes, Klaus' promise reminded her of that letter.

It shouldn't have mattered. She didn't really want it. Hearing 'no' when you weren't even considering a 'yes' was obsolete. Right? But it did matter. It mattered so much.

So she'd kissed him. Lifted her hands to his cheeks, pressed her lips against his, and let herself go.

And now she wished she hadn't.

Because now it was all so much worse. _She wanted more_. She ached for it.

Not just the kisses and sighs and moans of pleasure. She wanted the quiet circles he'd drawn on her back as they lay there in the aftermath. She wanted the cocky look in his eyes when she'd rolled him over for seconds. She wanted the deep breath he'd taken in of her hair, like he was trying to memorize how she smelled. A way to lock this moment in his memory forever.

She wanted last loves, and Rome, Paris, Tokyo. She wanted to be beautiful, strong, and full of light, and she wanted him to be capable of being saved.

If she'd just never kissed him…

Caroline had been so worried in that moment that he'd be 'the one that got away' if she didn't just take the leap and try. The _what if_that kept her up at night wondering.

And now he was the one she wished had gotten away.

Because knowing exactly what you were missing? That was worse than 1000 years of wondering.

* * *

**_Heaven or Hell_**

felicityqueenotp prompted Heaven or Hell by Digital Daggers

_In you I found my only faith,  
I lost my halo to your renegade._

– – –

Caroline didn't know quite when she'd lost that uptight sense of morality that had been so important to her. The do-gooder nature that had always just been _part of her. _

She'd organized the yearly policeman's charity raffle.

She'd organized the class relief fun for Katrina.

She'd been head of the Mystic Falls Beautification Committee.

Hell, she'd even adopted one of those killer whales they rescued from Sea World when she'd been 7-years-old.

Caroline Forbes liked to give back.

But these days, she'd realized that the lines between right and wrong were not only blurred, they were sometimes nonexistent. Good and evil were just nursery rhymes you told you kids, not actual measuring sticks to use on people.

When had that happened?

Maybe after she'd turned her humanity off and seen just how easy it was to give into temptation and turn the monster loose?

Maybe after she'd ditched the blood bags for a whole year and found out that_snatch, eat, erase_ wasn't always as cruel as she'd always imagined.

Or maybe it had been after she'd spent three weeks lounging on a beach with Klaus Mikaelson and then decided to follow him home.

Yeah, that had probably been the one to do it.

"Do you think I'm a bad person?"

Her boyfriend - she'd be damned before she called him her _lover_, they were not in some trashy romance novel and she sure as hell didn't rock a corset - looked up at her over the spell book he'd been examining.

"Of course not." Klaus answered immediate. "I hope you weren't planning on me asking you the same question because we both know your answer."

"I don't think you're a bad person, per se," Caroline laughed, pushing her breakfast around her plate. "I just think 'good' is a relative term to you."

"Mmm," Klaus hummed his agreement. "Why do you want to know if I think you're a bad person? It's not exactly pre-coffee conversation."

Caroline frowned. Truth be told, she didn't know where the question had come from really. She supposed it had been building for a while now, this suspicion that she maybe wasn't the pristine little angel she'd once been. But the trigger had definitely been the morning paper in front of her.

Tossing the front page at Klaus, she waited for him to read the headline.

**_EARTHQUAKE ROCKS NEPAL: 7,000 PRESUMED DEAD._**

Klaus looked back up at her confused. "Should this mean something to me?"

"Yes!" Caroline snatched the paper back. "That's the point. It should mean something to me too, but I just skimmed the title and then skipped to the sports and leisure section. Like it was nothing. Thousands of people are dead, and we're sitting here having brunch!"

"I don't know if brunch makes you a bad person…" he trailed off, still not understanding.

"I just…" she searched for the right words. "We're vampires. We're going to live forever, with freaky strength and heightened senses and a thousand other things that could help in situations like these. We could make a _huge _difference in the rescue efforts. But we're just sitting here. It didn't even occur to me to help."

Klaus sighed, putting the spell book down, perhaps realizing that he wouldn't be returning to it anytime soon. "It just occurred to you now, so dilemma solved. You're actually quite the noble person, when it comes right down to it."

"Thinking about it doesn't mean doing it." Caroline folded her arms across her chest. "That used to be all I could think about. How I could use whatever I have to be the best person I could be. Now… I don't feel like I'm helping anyone. Ever."

"Caroline…" Klaus reached for her hand.

"No, don't _Caroline _me. I'm a bad person. Admit it."

He didn't. Instead, Klaus pulled out his phone and starting tapping away, intent on ignoring her apparently.

"Hey," she nearly snatched the device away from him. "I'm having a moral crisis over here!"

"And I'm purchasing two plane tickets to Nepal." he grumbled back.

Caroline stopped short. "Wait, really?"

He tapped at his phone a few more times, and then turned the screen around so she could see. Two first class tickets leaving tonight, landing in Kathmandu morning after next.

Klaus leaned in close and brushed a strand of hair off her face, a humoring smile on his lips. "If you want to dust off the old Caroline Forbes halo, far be it from me to stop you. We'll go and help out, and you'll remind yourself and me that you're possibly the most compassionate blood sucking monster on the planet. Which just so happens to be one of the dozens of reasons I love you. Happy?"

Her smile could have put out a street light.

"Very." She hesitated only a minute before lifting a curious eyebrow. "Dozens, huh? Care to share?"

Klaus rolled his eyes.

"Eat your breakfast."

* * *

_**1000 Times**_

A drabble request from cupcakemolotov

1000 Times by Sara Bareilles

_You can make me wait forever, push me away and tell me never,  
I don't mind, no I don't mind it, I would come back a thousand times._

– – –

In over 1000 years, Klaus could never remember silence sounding so loud as it did the night he drove Caroline home from her graduation.

He gripped the steering wheel of his overpriced rental car tightly, debating whether or not starting up an actual conversation would be any less… uncomfortable. He refused to call it awkward, because he was an immortal Original vampire, a king among insects, and he did not get _awkward_.

Caroline, however, got very awkward.

She alternated between twisting a strand of curly blonde hair through her fingers, spinning her daylight ring around and around, and tapping her foot against the floor of the car. He could practically feel her vibrating with nervous energy.

Understandable. After a man made her a promise of eternal last loves under a blanket of stars in the warm June air you tended to need time to reflect.

Every now and then, Klaus would sneak a glance over at her, but Caroline didn't seem to notice.

She was lost in that head of hers.

"So," her bright voice might as well have been gunfire for how abruptly it cut through the silence, "You're all set up in New Orleans these days?"

"Yes," he answered, "But the city is somewhat less impressive than I recall. Less elegant decadence, more vomiting in the streets."

"Gross." Caroline's chuckled response still held a nervous edge to it, but at least she was out of her own spinning thoughts.

Klaus took that as a win. "I'm considering moving on actually."

"What?" Caroline lost all pretense of calm. "You're moving?"

"Thinking about it."

"But…" she huffed a little, like his moving out of New Orleans was a personal affront. "Where would you live then?"

He shrugged, not having thought about it all that much. "Here and there. I've been nomadic for centuries, I don't mind lacking a permanent address all that much."

"How devil-may-care of you," Caroline's foot started to tap again, but this time it seemed to be out of irritation rather than nervousness.

How strange.

"Does that bother you?"

"Me?" she scoffed. "Why would I be bothered?"

The question was clearly rhetorical and clearly aggressive. Caroline _was _bothered. Greatly so.

They pulled up in front of her house, but Caroline didn't bolt out of the car like he expected her to. She sat, foot still tapping away, folding her arms in front of her.

He sighed heavily, "What have I done to irk you now, Caroline?"

"I'm not _irked_." she spat.

Klaus gave her a doubtful look.

"Fine, I'm irked, but what the hell else am I supposed to be?" she raged. "You with your last loves and soulful looks and then, 'oh hey, I'm moving, not sure where, see you never.' Seriously?!"

Klaus let a triumphant smile stretch across his lips. "You'd like to see me again then?"

"No," Caroline glared, "But you were going to pick up and move without even a word? You could at least send a forwarding address, so I can keep track of you. Honestly, it's just common courtesy."

"Why would you want to?" he prompted, curious how far he could make her take this. "After all, you said yourself you never want to see me."

"Hey, flirty mind games are _my _thing, stay in your lane." Caroline deflected.

"Caroline…" he raised an expectant eyebrow.

From here, there was a fifty-fifty chance that she would storm out of the car and never speak to him again. Quite literally. The other option was a verbal lashing that lasted several minutes.

As he watched her irritation bubble over, Klaus began to expect the latter.

In three, two, one…

"What if one day I do think to myself, 'hey I wonder what Klaus is up to, let's pop by and say hello?' The odds of that ever happening are infinitesimally small, since I plan to be with Tyler for many years to come, but hey, it could happen. How the hell am I supposed to find you? Smoke signal? Carrier pigeon? You talk a big game about waiting and timeless romance, and – by the way, you come off a little flowery sometimes, Shakespeare. Dial it back, it's the 21st century - but still, you're willing to pick up and disappear without a word? Some last love you are!"

By the end of it, Caroline's face was slightly red from exertion, and her breathing was heavy.

She looked down at her lap, as if she'd just confessed to murder.

The surge of happiness he felt at her rant was something new. It felt a bit like the time he'd finally driven the white oak stake into Mikael's chest, but with less of an edge to it. A mix of victory and… something else.

The fact that she was even entertaining the possibility of seeking him out one day…

But her concerns needed to be addressed.

"Caroline," Klaus lifted her chin up, keeping a firm hold on it. "I said I'd wait for you, I didn't say I'd simper like a obedient lap dog, waiting for you to finally pat me on the head."

Caroline sniffed, "I don't-"

"No," he interrupted her, "You had your turn, now it's mine. I'm in love with you, we both know it, but you're not in love with me. Not yet, anyhow. When you're ready, you'll find me. I'll make sure of that, so don't worry about forwarding addresses or phones numbers. But in the meantime, I'm my own person, with my own life. If you'd like to stamp 'Property of Caroline Forbes' across my forehead, so be it, but it won't make it true. You'll have to earn that one, sweetheart. Understood?"

Caroline opened her mouth to argue, and likely attempt a rejection as was her favorite response to these kinds of declarations.

At the last second though, she clicked her mouth shut again.

And nodded.

"Understood." she muttered.

Taking a chance, Klaus leaned forward to press another goodbye kiss against her cheek, inching closer to that mile-a-minute mouth of hers this time. The corner of his lips caught the corner of hers, and fire bubbled up between them, sure as it always did.

She turned her face towards his as he pulled away, and Klaus half expected Caroline to kiss him full on the mouth.

But she didn't. She just released a shaky breath, full of so much _something_ he could barely stand it.

And that's all he got; her breath, mingling with his.

And it was enough. For now.

With one last nod, Caroline finally pushed open her car door and fled towards her house. At the last, she turned and stole another glance at him, lifting her hand in a farewell wave.

He waved back and then put the car in drive.

* * *

**_Avenue_**

Anonymous prompted Avenue by Agnes Obel

Okay, so this song is so perfectly dark-Klaroline, I can't even. AWESOME suggestion whoever you are! It's beautiful and creepy, so that's what I ended up writing. It was so fun :)

_You know you're wrong when there's only one right,  
but what is wrong when right is out of sight?_

– – –

"Not so much pressure, love, it will be over too fast."

"What if I like it fast?"

Caroline grinned up at him, nothing but dirtiness in her eyes. He could scarcely keep his off her, but a pathetic whimper drew his attention back to the vampire tied up beneath her.

Damon Salvatore, shirtless and gagged, sat strapped to a metal chair, enough vervain pumped through his system to keep him weak but alert. He was also currently missing two fingers, and in the process of losing a third.

Caroline sat straddled over his lap, a bloody knife in hand.

"That's not how I remember it," Klaus leaned forward over Damon's shoulder until he was nose to nose with his favorite blonde vampire. "In fact, if I recall correctly, you rather enjoyed taking your time. Tortuous actually."

He let his whispered words ghost over her lips, loving the way she shivered.

The heat in her eyes was very real and very wanting.

Damon groaned, whether out of pain from his missing digits or out of annoyance at their flirting, it was hard to tell.

Caroline returned her attention to Damon's middle finger, sawing her blunt knife back and forth. He screamed through the wad of cloth in his mouth, but Caroline didn't stop.

Normally this would be a strange sight.

Caroline inflicting pain on anyone was unthinkable.

But Caroline inflicting pain on a man who was supposed to be her friend? Or at least her acquaintance?

It was a sight Klaus never thought he'd see in a million years.

But Caroline had shown up in New Orleans with no humanity and a taste for revenge. And Klaus, desperate to drown in this darker side of her, had hopped right on the torture express. There were many people in Caroline's life whom he thought deserved her bloody vengeance, and he was more than happy to help.

Damon, who had forced himself on her time and again.

Bonnie, who had berated and belittled her at every turn. Always made her to feel _other_.

Stefan, who had had the nerve to make her feel desperate and pathetic.

They'd all created demons inside of her. They all deserved what they got.

One day she'd look back on these little moments with all that morality and humanity, and she'd probably hate him for letting her go so far.

But further down the road…

When she saw the world for the dismal and dangerous place it really was? She'd thank him. She'd thank him for not standing in her way.

You see, you could not tame demons like these, you could only keep them on a leash.

"How does that feel, Damon?" she asked sweetly, almost seductive. "To sit there, helpless, while someone cuts out a piece of you? Unable to speak, to scream, to move? While someone takes something you thought was _part of you._ Something that was supposed to be _yours_."

Klaus sat and watched, happy to be a spectator in this sport of revenge. "You're reaching the bone again, Caroline," he warned, "You know what that means."

She grinned. "My favorite part."

With a great jerk, she punched the knife down, separating Damon's middle finger from his hand at the knuckle.

The Salvatore screamed angry profanities through his gag, most of them directed at Caroline.

"Awww," she picked up the separated digit and held it up to him, "Fuck you too."

Damon's head lolled back as the adrenaline wore off and pain set back in. He nearly losing consciousness, but Klaus pushed his head back up so he faced Caroline again.

"No, no, no. No passing out allowed, mate," he warned. "She didn't get to go to her happy place while you were violating her, did she? Neither do you."

Caroline just sighed though, standing up from her straddled position and leaving Damon behind. "I'm bored. What else can we cut off?"

"Well there's the obvious option," Klaus proposed, "But it's a messy business, castration, and I'm not sure you want that much blood on your news shoes."

"Such a gentlemen," Caroline reached up to grab his collar and pulled him forward to press his lips against hers.

She hummed into his mouth, and Klaus began to count.

_One, one thousand._

Caroline nipped at his lips with her fangs.

_Two, one thousand._

Her hands ran down his stomach and then his thighs.

_Three, one thousand._

She inched her way closer and closer, almost exactly where he needed her–

Klaus tore his lips from hers and stepped back, only slightly satisfied to see her stumble forward a bit as she tried to follow.

"Prude." she glared.

"If I let you do that, then I'm no better than him." Klaus gestured to the vampire now passed out in his chair. "We both know I want you, but we also both know I love you. A bit of a weighted board if there ever was one, don't you think?"

Caroline groaned and rolled her eyes, annoyed with his display of emotion.

He ignored the sting of pain at her rejection.

She wasn't truly rejecting him. Without her emotions, she had no way of returning his feelings. At least that's what he told himself every night that he turned her away from his bed.

If he was going to have her again, then it would be real.

Anything less would be a mockery of what they'd had before.

"You're free to turn it back on, if you like?" he suggested, already knowing the answer. "Then I'll ravish you until you can't walk straight."

"Pass," she smiled cruelly up at him. "But I bet Elena's worried sick over her _soul mate_. What do you say we send her a few fingers to let her know he's alive and well?"

"Mmmm," Klaus pulled her in close again, only letting his hands wander a little. "Vicious girl."

"Always."

* * *

_**Islands**_

cupcakemolotov prompted Islands by Sara Bareilles

_It's like I'm standing on the edge with just a telephone wire  
Trying to get to you first to say the world's on fire_

– – –

So the world really would end in fire then?

Huh.

Caroline had always been more of an 'ice will suffice' person, but she'd been wrong before.

Watching Mystic Falls burn around her, she almost couldn't believe this was happening. The end of the world… that was supposed to happen five billion years from now. Her sixth grade science teacher had said so, so it must be true.

But science didn't factor in magic, and that was the kicker, wasn't it?

Reports from all around the world of supernatural attacks and monsters gone crazy had been making headlines for weeks. Now it had reached small town America. It was like the entire, global supernatural community had just gone insane. Even Elena - lovely, kind, compassionate Elena - had been driven suddenly mad. Tearing into humans, people she'd known since birth, like it was nothing to her. Rabid as a wild animal.

Stefan suspected a spell, but the scale of this spell… it had to be massive.

Not something any of them could ever hope to stop.

As Damon started to twitch and grunt beside her - an early sign of more deadly symptoms yet to come - Caroline slowly started to back away.

Her finger hovered over the name on her phone that she'd been resistant to call up until now. The world had turned on its head, but maybe… maybe he was still out there. Maybe he was still… him.

"Caroline," Damon ground her name out, his eyes flashing red and back again, "Get out of here. I'm about to get very not safe to be around."

With one last look at the monster who was growing more monstrous by the minute, Caroline flashed away. Back to her house. The windows were broken in, blood on the porch, and the roof caved in, but that was nothing new. The attacks had been brutal on them all.

A final surge of desperation had her pressing send, and bringing the phone to her ear.

_ring _

Maybe he'd be immune.

_ring_

Maybe he'd be more feral than all of them combined.

_ring_

Please tell me what to do.

The click on the other end of the line was all the warning she got before a heinous roaring noise filled her ears. Whoever had picked up Klaus' phone was in the middle of a monstrous battle. Steel clanged, and stone crashed, and Caroline listened to it all, searching for any voice she recognized in the melee.

At last, a pause in the madness came, and labored breathing filled her ear.

"Caroline, how lovely to hear from you." Klaus pained voice filled her ear.

A sigh of relief. Klaus was alive. He was himself. Her world was not so crumbled after all.

"Well, you're you," she sighed, "That's a start."

Klaus chuckled, but it sounded like he was wincing through the laugh even to her. "I'm relieved to say the same for you. What's going on there?"

Her response was interrupted by another crash from his end, and this time she heard him roar a battle cry as he fought off whatever was trying to kill him this time.

He came back on after a quick moment.

"Sorry about that. You were saying?"

"What's going on _here_? What's going on _there_? It sounds like a warzone." Caroline nearly screeched.

"You could say that." Klaus agreed. "When the supernatural apocalypse hits, it turns out it's not such a fantastic idea to live in a city chalk full of supernaturals. Miscalculation on my part, I'm afraid, but it was bound to happen once in a millennium. Statistics and all that."

Caroline actually smiled to hear his sarcasm. She hadn't heard anyone crack a joke in weeks. "I can imagine. We've only got a half-dozen here, and they've turned the town into a disaster area. New Orleans must be a mob scene."

"Quite," he grunted, and she heard what sounded suspiciously like sword slashing through neck accompany it. The quiet gurgling in the background confirmed the assumption. "You're staying safe though?"

"So long as I'm immune to whatever's happening, yeah," she confirmed, "But I was actually thinking of getting the hell out of dodge for a while. A nice remote island in the Caribbean sounds like just the ticket for me."

Klaus made a small sound of surprise, "I'd have thought you'd be devoted to sticking around and fighting the good fight? You know, morals, ethics, no human left behind, and all that."

"The world's gone to shit, Klaus," she answered bitterly, "And I know a losing battle when I see one."

"Well then," more violence rang out in the background, but Klaus seemed to be traveling farther and farther away from it, "Care for some company on that island of yours?"

Caroline smiled widely. "I was hoping you'd say something like that."

* * *

**_For You_**

Anonymous requested a drabble of this meta as a substitute for the Klaroline scenes in the prom episode 4x19.

The song I picked for this prompt was For You by Angus and Julia Stone

_If I talk real slowly, if I try real hard  
To make my point dear, that you have my heart  
Here I go, I'll tell you what you already know_

_– – – _

"The red or the yellow, Nik? I can't decide."

Rebekah's grating voice pulled him out of his brooding, and he forced himself to examine his sister's choice of wardrobe. He'd much rather finish sketching in silence, but he knew his sister would pester him until he gave in.

"Does it matter?" he chided her cooly, "Whatever you wear, you won't be ending the night human. Why put on this farce of a 'prom' in the first place?"

"Spoil sport." she scolded back. "You're only sore because Elijah picked my side over yours. If I manage the whole day as a human, then I get the cure. Too bad, so sad for Nik."

Klaus could only sit there and grumble. Elijah had laid down the law, and snapping Rebekah's pretty little neck wouldn't change it.

"I'd go with the red," he finally suggested, "Since you'll no doubt be wearing someone's blood by the end of the night anyways. It's just in your nature , Bekah."

"Yellow it is," she huffed, outraged.

Probably because it was true.

"I suppose I could always just steal a dress like Elena," she returned to face the mirror, ignoring him now. "You should have seen Caroline's face when she showed up to find her pink monstrosity gone. No-humanity Elena is a damn riot."

Klaus' ears perked up at that. Elena had stolen Caroline's dress?

He couldn't imagine the utter panic that pin-point perfect Caroline, the chair of three prom committees, Miss Mystic Falls herself would be feeling if she had less than two hours to find a new prom dress.

For all that the insipid high school ritual seemed ridiculous to him as 1000-year-old Rebekah went through the motions, he wasn't so dim as to not realize that Caroline was still 18. Still very much in the height of her adolescence. There was something to be said for experiencing your "firsts" as they came along. After an eternity, one found that they began to run out.

What was more… this was Caroline's big day.

She'd worked on this party for months, no doubt dreamed about it for years. With what they were - vampires and all - Caroline would likely never get a wedding day. Marriage seemed insignificantly human to most vampires, and he could never imagine her tying the knot to a mere mortal. Prom was as close as the girl would likely ever get to being a bride.

Imagining the woman he loved as a frazzled mess on her special night did not sit well with Klaus. Not one bit.

Setting his sketch book aside, he headed towards the door.

"And just where are you going?" Rebekah shouted in outrage as he left her behind.

Klaus didn't bother to answer her. He suddenly had a itch to go sort through a few old family heirlooms.

– – –

Setting the black box down on her doorstep, Klaus couldn't help but reminisce about the first time he'd pulled this move.

The blue gown had been a guess as much as anything else. It had been everything he'd assumed Caroline to be. Sparkly and dainty and beautiful, with a hidden elegance underneath. He'd been correct in his guess, as he always was, but now? Now that he'd known her and loved her and seen those hidden parts of her that she'd never revealed to anyone before?

Now his gift was no guess. It was pure Caroline.

Refined. Glamorous. Dangerous. Utterly and completely one of a kind.

With a hint of regality to show everyone just what Caroline truly was underneath all of her smiles and cheer. A queen. And a bit _bridal_, if he did say so himself.

Klaus considered handing it off to her in person, but that would require at least half an hour of cajoling her into accepting the gift. Time Caroline did not have. And anyways… he had an idea that her perfect day did not include a visit from him.

He stooped to set the box down and then promptly wooshed away after ringing her doorbell.

Still, he could not resist hiding in the treeline to see her reaction.

Caroline opened the door in a cotton blue bathrobe, her hair half-styled and her eyes rimmed red. She'd been crying. He'd kill that doppelganger, wring her pretty little–

Caroline's cry of surprised joy cut off his train of thought.

As she lifted the white dress out of its box, he could see Caroline nearly break down in tears again right on her front porch. She looked around for her mysterious benefactor, but her eyes never found him amongst the trees.

She lifted the dress close to her face, nearly hugging it. Klaus felt his lips curl up in a contented smile. He knew she'd love it.

With that, he turned and set off towards home.

His good deed for the day done.

– – –

Tyler Lockwood was in town.

Tyler fucking Lockwood.

The pesky little mutt just couldn't resist dipping his toe into dangerous waters, could he? Klaus let his bubbling rage lead the way towards the Lockwood estate, expecting to find the boy huddled in a corner, waiting for death on swift wings.

What he did not expect to find was Caroline. Caroline dancing in _his dress_, her arms wrapped around her little hybrid, and her head tucked under his chin. The two of them slowly swaying back and forth, a romantic little tune playing them on.

Klaus fought down a murderous rage.

He couldn't get inside, Matt Donovan had seen to that, but he could wait. He could stand here all night, in the shadows, waiting for the idiot boy to set one bloody foot outside, then he'd bend and break and rip him to shreds–

Catching sight of Caroline's face - her closed eyes, her small smile, her deep sigh of satisfaction - he felt that rage slip away. Her perfect night might not have included him, but it no doubt included Tyler. The boy she loved.

"I have to go soon," Tyler whispered in her ear, "People will be here for the party, and if anyone sees me…"

If anyone saw him indeed. It had been a compelled spy on the edge of town, who had tipped Klaus off to Tyler's arrival in the first place. The wolf hadn't been half as careful as he should have for something like this.

"I know, I know," Caroline leaned up to press a long kiss to Tyler's lips. Then another, almost like she couldn't bear to stop. Klaus grit his teeth. "Thank you for the best prom ever."

Tyler smiled down at her, and Klaus could see the both of them choking back tears.

It set him on edge.

They were not starcrossed lovers, forced apart by an evil villain. They were two teenagers lost in the moment and their mutual fleeting feelings. He refused to buy into their overdramatics. Theirs was not an epic love. Caroline would see it one day.

The front door opened, and Tyler stepped out into the night.

Out into harms way.

"Was it worth it?" he growled from his place in the shadows.

Tyler stopped dead.

Turned.

The panic in his eyes rankled Klaus' killer instinct up again, but he beat it back. He would not murder Tyler on his own front porch and ruin Caroline's "perfect prom." He'd worked too hard to put that smile on her face, he wouldn't let it all go to waste now.

Still, he couldn't help taunting the boy.

"To see her smile, to make her dream night come true? _Was_. _It_. _Worth it?"_ he stalked closer to Tyler, feeling nothing but satisfaction as the boy cringed away in fear.

No doubt seeing his very dull life flash before his eyes.

Finally, he put the boy out of his misery.

"In the shared interest of giving Caroline the night of her dreams…" Klaus let his eyes drift inside for a moment, where Caroline had disappeared into the kitchen, no doubt setting up for the party. "I'm going to allow you 5 seconds before I rip your heart out of your chest."

Tyler narrowed his eyes, almost like he didn't believe Klaus would sincerely let him go just to make Caroline happy.

How little the boy knew of love.

It could make the sanest of men fling themselves off buildings, if only for a tear shed by their beloved at the funeral.

"5… 4… 3…"

Tyler was gone before he hit two.

Good dog.

Klaus lingered for another moment, stealing a last glance inside. Caroline was back - with an even more radiant smile on her face - setting drinks out and filling up chip bowls. He nodded to himself, happy with his restraint for once, and then took off into the night.

At least he'd given Caroline one night of fond memories.

– – –

It seems karma was in fact the real deal.

Rebekah failed marvelously at her task, but it hadn't mattered in the slightest. Silas had hoodwinked Elijah - served him right - and now there was no reason for the vindictive immortal to hang around torturing Klaus for the rest of eternity.

Do one good deed and another comes back to you.

Go figure.

Klaus fully expected to be celebrating alone tonight, but as he poured his third glass of whiskey out, he heard the front door open and close.

Heels tapping on his marble entryway made him think Bekah was back, but a moment later a very different blonde turned the corner.

Caroline was a vision.

Still in the beaded white dress he'd chosen, her shoulders set back, and a peacefulness about her. She looked at him with such… emotion in her eyes. She hadn't looked at him like that since the night she'd been dying in front of him, telling him he was capable of being saved.

He hadn't warranted such belief since then.

"Thank you." her quiet voice rang out like a bell in the silent room, the crackling fire behind him the only accompaniment.

"The dress suits you, sweetheart," he raised his glass in a toast.

Caroline lifted the skirt as she walked towards him, and he appreciated the care she took with the piece. It was an antique after all. "It does suit me," she agreed, moving ever closer, "And one day we're going to have a talk about how you know my exact measurements."

Klaus only smiled, "A good magician never reveals his secrets."

"Uh huh," she rolled her eyes. "But I wasn't thanking you for the dress."

"Then what, pray tell, have I done to deserve this impromptu gratitude, love?"

Caroline took one more step forward, and it was enough. Enough to broach that boundary between friendly and intimate. Between conversation and hushed whispers.

"You let him go."

Klaus clenched his jaw shut. "You heard?"

She just smiled. "Vampire, remember?"

"I…" he searched for an explanation, his eyes wandering the floor, but as it turned out, one wasn't necessary.

Caroline leaned in close, and Klaus nearly stopped breathing when her lips pressed against his cheek. It was the shortest, faintest brushing of skin on skin, but he felt it right down to his very bones.

When she pulled away, he lifted an eyebrow in question.

Call him skeptical, but he couldn't help but suspect an ulterior motive when it came to Caroline Forbes and affection.

"If I were ever going to be friends with a psychotic, immortal, sociopath," she shot him a stern glare, even as the firelight betrayed the mischief twinkling behind her eyes, "It would be one who could also be the guy were tonight. That guy… I could almost like him."

Klaus swallowed.

He'd never have guessed the promise of Caroline's friendship - such a paltry thing in the long run, when you really thought about it - would cause his stomach to drop out and his toes to tingle. How odd. Friends then, Caroline?

With one last twist of her lips, Caroline marched herself right out his door, the skirts of her new dress swishing around her elegant exit.

For the rest of the evening, Klaus fought the urge to lift a hand to the small patch of skin on his cheek that still burned from her touch. Odd indeed.

* * *

**_Uptown Funk_**

lynyrdwrites prompted Uptown Funk with a dragon. Typical.

I was watching Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone while filling this out, so you will absolutely see hints of that in there. Have fun :)

_Too hot, hot damn, make a dragon wanna retire man._

– – –

"What in the hell is that thing?"

Klaus let out an exasperated sigh. Of course Caroline was home early. She was scheduled to be in Venice for another week and then Rome after that, but here she was.

Just in time to see him hauling an armful of black scales and green eyes across their threshold.

"It was a gift." Klaus evaded. Caroline just narrowed her eyes, waiting for him to finish. "Fine, if you must know, it's a dragon."

"A dragon?" Caroline questioned doubtfully. "There's no such thing as dragons."

"Said the vampire."

"Fair point." Caroline conceded. "A gift from who?"

That was a mystery. The travel carrier had arrived on his doorstep with no note, no name, and no hint of how or why it had gotten there. An enemy would send a fully grown dragon to make a statement, but this? This baby? A gift could be the only explanation.

It would be worth a fortune one day, if it was raised right, after all.

Klaus deposited the tiny dragon on the entryway table, but much to his dismay it didn't stay there long. The damn thing leapt off edge, spreading its wings out to catch the wind - and falling face first onto the marble floor.

Caroline dashed to its side, "Oh, you poor thing, are you okay? Klaus! You can't just drop it on a table! Why can't he fly?"

"Too young, I suppose. Solid effort though." Klaus tried and fail to care.

Caroling scooped up the tiny ball of scales, cooing softly at it. In return, the little mongrel made small grumblings noises that were probably supposed to be whimpers. Klaus watched her coddle the monster that would have made most women scream in horror.

"Don't get attached, love," he warned her, "It goes right back where it came from when I figure out who sent it."

"Fine, fine," Caroline waved him off, already having too much fun watching the baby dragon chase after her blonde curls dangling in front of him.

Klaus let his eyes slowly slide shut in defeat.

This was going to end terribly.

– – –

"He didn't mean any harm, Klaus. He just didn't know any better."

Caroline's constant defense of the beast was really starting to irk him.

In the last week, he'd called every black market dragon trader he could find, and none of them could tell him who'd sent his little gift. Worse, none of them were willing to take a dragon so young, so he couldn't even sell the thing.

In the meantime, the little monster had taken up residence in his home, more specifically in his art studio. Almost every day, Klaus would wake up to find a new canvas shredded into a nest for Caroline's pet dragon.

"Yeah, Nik. He didn't _mean_ to shred the Van Gogh." Kol grinned, piling on.

"You stay out of it," he ordered his brother, "Caroline, it's got to go. I don't care if we have to drop him off at a pound and pass him off as a puppy, I want that thing gone."

"A puppy?" Caroline rolled her eyes. "Fat chance, he's covered in scales, and he puffs out smoke every five hours. Besides," she picked her faithful new companion up in her arms, "Tucker has much more of a cat personality, anyway."

More rumbling noises came from the dragon's chest, sounding suspiciously like purrs.

Klaus clenched his teeth together, "Tell me," he spoke low and threateningly, "You did not name that thing."

"Hmm?" Caroline wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Caroline…."

"What?" she complained, "He needed a name!"

Kol barely concealed a grin from his place in the corner, keeping his lips pressed tight together in glee. Klaus wasn't sure whose neck he wanted to snap more. His brother's, or _Tucker_.

"This has gone too far," Klaus shook his head, "I'm calling my friend in Romania tomorrow. There's a dragon colony there, they'll take him, no questions asked."

"A colony?" Caroline hugged Tucker tighter to her. "In Romania?"

"Chin up, Caroline," Kol finally decided to take Klaus side for once, "He'll be with his own kind there. A much better life than being hidden away in our little corner of the city."

She didn't seem convinced. "But what if the other dragons are mean to him? He's just a baby! No, I think he should stay here until he's older. Bigger."

"Caroline," Klaus warned, "This is non-negotiable."

"Everything is negotiable, you taught me that." Caroline flounced out of the room, Tucker still purring away in her arms.

Klaus lifted a hand to his head, feeling the beginning of a migraine coming on. Caroline was never going to let that blasted lizard go. He'd be stuck with a 50-foot dragon who was still 'just a baby' this time next year.

"That thing will level cities with a single sneeze one day, and she's determined to treat it like a kitten." Klaus complained loudly. "She's gone mad."

"Oh I don't know," Kol folded his hands behind his head, still grinning. "Caroline's always been the type to make pets out of vicious beasts. Tell me, does she plan to get the two of you matching collars?"

Kol decided to take a little nap the rest of the afternoon, and Klaus fought the urge to polish off his old daggers.

* * *

**The "**_I Lived"_ **drabble about Klaroline traveling the world together is going to be expanded into a full chapter. Look for that soon! **


	23. I Lived

**Title: **I Lived

**Disclaimer: Anything TO or TVD related belongs to the CW**

_**Summary: lynyrdwrites prompted I Lived by One Republic, and what the hell else did you expect me to write with these lyrics but Klaroline globe-trotting adventures? Like really? And for your reading pleasure, I added a little bit here and there, with some smut on tagged on as well. Enjoy!**_

* * *

_I owned every second that this world could give,  
I saw so many places, the things that I did,  
With every broken bone, I swear I lived._

* * *

She spots him in New Zealand of all places.

She'd gotten bored of all the stuffy museums and ancient architecture on her European travels, so she'd hopped down to the outback - okay _next to the outback_\- and gotten a good taste of the kiwi life.

And yeah, she'd been a little bit of a Lord of the Rings nut back in her day, so she wanted to see The Shire. Whatever.

Settling down into a little lakeside town where the sun always shone, and the drunks always sang, Caroline decided that this could be a nice home for her. A permanent one. Or at least a home base as she globe-trotted.

And then one Saturday morning, she'd headed down to the beach in a silly little scrap of a swim suit, and there he'd been.

Sitting at her favorite cafe, drinking coffee and snacking on scones.

His eyes snapped up to meet hers, like he could sense her gaze, and she was twice as surprised to see the shock on his face as he probably was to see the shock on hers.

He hadn't been following her.

Hadn't even known she was there.

Caroline had chosen to settle into a town that served as _Klaus' home base_. Go figure.

"I swear," he chuckled, as they finished their third piece of coffee cake, "I've owned the cottage on the north bend since the early 18th century."

"You're such a liar," Caroline rolled her eyes. "Admit you're stalking me. It would be easier on both of us."

Klaus only laughed, "Afraid not sweetheart. I actually spent the better part of the last hundred years holed up here after leaving Stefan in Chicago. Technically, it's you who's stalking me."

"Let's call it kismet and be done with it then," she suggested.

"Careful, Caroline," Klaus warned. "Keeping talking like that, and I might start to think you believe we're destined to be together."

"Keep dreaming."

Seeing as neither of them were willing to give up their lake town retreat - it was seriously gorgeous, and you couldn't ask for better weather, okay? - Caroline spent her summer lounging by Klaus' pool, and he spent his sampling her wine collection.

And when the time came for Caroline to take off again (Italy in the spring was lovely) Klaus found her in his closet, packing him a bag.

"Well, you did promise to take me to Rome, didn't you?" she asked with a knowing smile.

"So I did," he grinned and started helping her load up his suitcase.

* * *

First they hit Venice.

She'd seen Rome a thousand times, but Venice had always been a bit too romantic for her tastes. It was no fun sitting under the stars in a gondola with no one beside you.

As luck would have it, their timing worked out perfectly.

Carnival was in full swing, and nothing said masquerade like two vampires on a whirlwind.

"I'm not wearing one with feathers," Caroline moaned, rifling through mask after mask.

They were currently in their fifth shop of the day, and a rather high end one too if Caroline was any judge. Her bank account was not unlimited - she didn't steal her money, she earned it - and there was likely nothing in here that wouldn't cost her upwards of $4,000. Still, looking never hurt anyone.

"Feathers are more traditional than that rhinestone monstrosity you tried earlier." Klaus countered.

"Well then," she tossed the dainty, feathered mask over to him, "You wear it, oh traditional one."

He rolled his eyes and simply placed the mask back up on the shelf. "I picked mine out hours ago. You're the one who's intent on shopping her way through the whole of Venice for a simple scrap of cloth."

"Simple?" she nearly shrieked. "_Simple_, he says. A girl's first time in Venice during Carnival, and he's ready to settle for _simple_. I'm insulted. I'm affronted. I'm completely and totally–"

Caroline stopped dead when saw what he had in his hands.

A _simple _gold mask, with narrow and feminine eye slits stared back at her. Lace embellishments decorated the top, creating a sort of tiara illusion, and every few inches, small sparkly stones adorned the front. Stones that Caroline would bet her bottom dollar were real diamonds.

She gulped.

"Gimme."

She reached out a reverent hand, and she barely registered the satisfied chuckle Klaus let out as she stroked the most beautiful accessory she'd ever seen in her life.

Turning it over, Caroline searched for the price tag and hoped, hoped, hoped…

Klaus snatched it back before she could see.

"My treat," he walked it over to the cashier, who rang up the purchase. "An apology for daring to call anything your wore _simple_."

Wearing that gorgeous gift of his - they were certainly piling up weren't they? - Caroline danced all night, drank herself silly, and kissed Klaus like she meant it. They even made love under those romantic stars, in a gondola no less. Masks on.

* * *

From Venice, the moved to Rome. Then Sicily. Then Naples.

When they finally made their way to France, they started with Avignon.

"I thought it would be…" Caroline tried to find a nice word for it. "More?"

Klaus didn't seem insulted at her displeasure, even though he'd just finished telling her that Avignon had been one of his favorite cities in the world.

"More?" he questioned. "What more could there be? In its day, Avignon was a formidable fortress, near impenetrable, even with the invention of the canon. The king of France laid siege to these walls for three months before the city finally fell. I've never seen a better stronghold in my life, and _that_is saying something."

"Well," Caroline looked around, "The walls are kind of crumbly, and that castle looks a little… is pathetic the word I'm looking for?"

"All right, that's enough out of you," Klaus reached up to cover her mouth, and Caroline had to dodge fast.

If you'd told her six months ago that she'd be sight-seeing with Klaus Mikaelson and horsing around with him like rowdy college tourists, Caroline would have told you to get your head checked.

But here they were, enjoying the South of France together almost like they were a young couple in…

Nope, not that.

Nevermind.

Klaus pulled her attention back to him, "If the scenery isn't up to your standards, then I'm afraid I'll have to play the ace up my sleeve. You will never find a more delicious cut of _filet de rouget et legumes _than at the waterfront restaurant in town."

"Mmm," Caroline hummed, moving in closer, "Say that again, but with your pants off."

He grabbed her wandering hand in his own, and together they strolled down the cobbled French streets towards the best food Caroline had eaten in her life. Klaus had been right, but then he usually was, wasn't he?

* * *

They eventually made their way back to the states because Stefan was turning 200, and you didn't just _miss_ that kind of thing.

And for the first time in months, Caroline and Klaus separated. The Salvatores might not have been mortal enemies with the Original hybrid anymore, but that didn't mean they wanted to be sleeping down the hall from him. And it felt… wrong somehow to turn down Stefan's offer to stay in his apartment.

Klaus agreed. They'd essentially been living together - and woah, didn't that set off alarm bells in her head? - for the better part of a year, and they could do with some time apart.

So Caroline took Stefan's spare bedroom in his Upper West Side apartment and Klaus retreated to his penthouse on the other side of the city.

And they lived.

Just… not well.

Caroline found herself fidgeting at 3 a.m., her feet cold, and body restless. She was used to falling asleep with Klaus scent on her pillow and his arm slung over her stomach. He wasn't exactly a cuddler, but he liked to feel her there. And she liked to feel him apparently.

If the photos she received every morning of his new paintings were any indication, then Klaus wasn't sleeping well either.

She found she made too much food for herself more often than not, and her spare time seemed like an endless vacuum of boredom.

There was a gaping hole where Klaus had been in her life, and it was unsettling to say the least to realize that Caroline missed him filling it up. Even more unsettling that no one else, not Stefan or Elena or Enzo, could fill it even just a little.

"I still don't get it," Elena slurred, boozy after so many glasses of champagne, "Even Enzo seems like a better road trip buddy than Klaus. How on earth have you managed to spend nine whole months with that monster?"

Caroline looked across the party to where Klaus and Damon lounged in the living room, occasionally tossing insults back and forth at each other. It was a strange party game for Stefan's 200th, but they seemed to be entertaining him well enough. Whenever Damon landed a particularly good hit, Stefan would chuckle into his drink, and Caroline assumed that was the only reason Klaus hadn't skewered the Salvatore with a fire poker.

"Actually I think it's closer to ten," Caroline answered, ignoring the monster comment. Elena would always see things in black and white. It was one of her worst qualities. "Not that I've been counting or anything."

The alcohol must have loosened her lips too because that had sounded especially… defensive, even to her own ears.

Elena noticed. "Caroline, are you two… together?"

"We've been together for ten months, I just told you that."

"No," Elena leaned in close, whispering, "I mean like _together_."

Caroline rolled her eyes, "I've been country hopping with the guy for the better part of the year, Elena, of course I'm sleeping with him. We stopped living G rated lives after the first snapped neck."

She tried to ignore the judgment in Elena's eyes at her confession. It shouldn't have even qualified as a confession, and really, Elena had no business asking her about any of this. They hadn't spoken in five years, it's not like they were close anymore.

"Well… how long do you plan to keep sleeping with him?" Elena phrased it delicately, but Caroline could tell what she was really asking.

_Is this leading somewhere, or are you just getting your rocks off?_

"I don't know, but when I figure it out, I'll be sure to send you post card, so you can judge from afar." Caroline bit out.

"I'm not judging I just-"

"Yes. You are." Caroline cut her off. "But I'm happy with the way things are, and I'm not particularly in the mood to braid each other's hair and decide how best to bring up the DTR conversation. Can we drop it?"

Elena looked shocked at her outburst, but she shouldn't have been.

Caroline had never been a particularly tactful person to begin with. Self-censoring just didn't work for her.

When it looked like Elena was gearing up for another round of questions, Caroline simply turned and walked away from her old friend, doing her best not to seethe. Sure, Elena could hop from one murderous brother to the next, then back again, but Caroline choosing to date a man who made her happy? The horror. She never thought she'd say this, but Caroline couldn't wait until Elena switched brothers again. She never sat on such a high horse when she was with Damon.

Across the room, Caroline felt Klaus' gaze on her.

No doubt he'd been listening to their conversation since his named had popped up.

Catching his eye, Caroline watched him raise one eyebrow in question. He'd drop everything and skip town with her right now if she asked, she knew that. She shook her head to tell him she was fine.

To prove it, she grabbed two glasses of champagne and walked her ass right over to Klaus, plopping down in his lap.

Damon and Stefan stared, then glanced at each other, then back to her. It was a bit of an unwritten rule between them all that no one talked about the Caroline and Klaus thing, and she'd just blown that right out of the water. Whatever, Elena had broken it first.

For his part, Klaus rolled with it and wrapped an arm around her waist, "Is that for me?" he made a grab her second drink.

"Get your own, greedy." she pulled it out of his reach. "This one's for the birthday boy."

She handed the champagne to Stefan, and the clinked their flutes together before knocking back the fizzy alcohol. Klaus made a good show of not pouting, but she could see he didn't like the attention she paid to Stefan. Honestly, it was ancient history, but he was still so insecure about all of her past loves.

To set him at ease, she made sure to give him a very deep very… intimate kiss, turning in his lap hide just how affected he was by it. When they separated, he licked his lips, tasting the lingering flavor of champagne.

"Mmm… delicious," he grinned up at her.

Damon made a gagging noise and tossed out another insult, which Klaus followed up with a jab of his own. And the game continued on and on.

* * *

In Argentina, Caroline found out that even someone has arrogant and self-assured as Klaus could get insecure. And then unspeakably, violently jealous.

This thing between them… it wasn't exactly new - it had been building for the better part of a century after all - but it wasn't exactly solid either. She never called him her boyfriend and he never introduced her as anything other than 'Caroline.' When pressed, they'd say they were old friends, and it suited them both just fine.

Caroline had assumed the usual parameters to a relationship were things that they just didn't need.

How wrong she was.

On a balmy summer night, Caroline was eager to dance, but Klaus was content to people watch. So she left him at their little table, sipping on a mojito and being a general stick in the mud.

Having learned to samba and tango and merengue years ago - she was quite the dancer after all - Caroline had no trouble picking out the best dance partner among the crowd. He had excellent rhythm and his footwork was really exceptional, so she wasted no time in offering him her hand.

That had been all she'd considered when she'd chosen him really.

But he was also devastatingly handsome and _very _into her.

Not something she was on the lookout for these days, which is perhaps why she'd missed it. So when he wrapped her leg around his waist or trailed a hand down her bare back, she didn't take it as anything other than some steamy choreography.

Klaus, on the other hand, took it as challenge.

On a particularly complicated turn, Caroline nearly felt herself spin off into the crowd when Miguel's hand yanked itself out of her grip. After she finally found her center again, she saw that Klaus had the other man by the throat, a murderous look in his eyes. He whispered something very threatening in Spanish, and his grip tightened even further.

"Klaus!"

Instantly, her lover let the poor man go. He scrambled on all fours away from the two vampires, the picture of pathetic. Klaus turned to face her, no apology in his eyes.

"What the hell was that?" she demanded.

"He had his hands all over you." Klaus furrowed his brow.

Caroline scoffed, "I know, I asked him to put them there."

"You asked him to dance, not fondle you in public," Klaus argued, "I was simply telling him to respect your boundaries."

"My boundaries are mine, not yours. God, sometimes I forget what a fossil you are," Caroline spun and stormed off the crowded floor, no longer in the mood for dancing. "I hate you when you get like this. My body is mine to do with as I please," she ranted as she stalked away, knowing he was right behind her, "And if I want to let a sexy Latin guy run his hands all over me, then that's my business, not yours. You don't _own _me, Klaus."

A hand landed on her arm and spun her around, and Caroline felt a wall at her back before she could even process the fact that she'd stopped walking. Sometimes she forgot just how much faster Klaus was than her. She realized not for the first time that you didn't run from Klaus. He let you go.

And he wasn't intending to let her go at all. Not tonight.

"Come again?" he asked angrily.

"You. Don't. Own. Me." she spat out.

He grit his teeth and moved in close, but she kept her chin up. "It's about time we had a talk, I think. I've been more than clear about what I want from you, and it's not to be one of the many, Caroline. Maybe I don't own your body, but that doesn't mean it doesn't belong to me."

Damn her independence, her feminism, and her libido all to hell because hearing his low, possessive tone… she started to breath heavier. Sensing that imperceptible change, Klaus let his hands wander, skimming over her shoulders and down her sides until he grasped her hips firmly enough to pull them into his.

"God knows mine belongs to you," he admitted in a husky voice, "So if you expect me to sit around and watch you wrap these legs around another man," he hitched one of her thighs up around him, "Watch you arch against him," he palmed her breast and she couldn't help her back from bowing, "Watch him run his hands all over you," he trailed his palm up the inside of her leg and then under her panties.

"Ahh," she couldn't help the crazed whimper that escaped her.

"Mmm," Klaus grinned in satisfaction at how wet she was, "Seems you don't hate me like this after all."

"That's not for you," she sniffed, trying to pretend like he didn't have a hand up her skirt right now, "Maybe it's for Miguel. He was an amazing dancer after all."

Klaus growled - actually growled - to hear that. And dammit, she couldn't stop another surge of wetness from pooling at his show of jealousy. He felt it too.

"Really?" Klaus grinned, dragging another finger over her to make her shiver. "Seems like it's for me. Admit it, Caroline. You love seeing me like this. You love being mine."

She was panting by now as he worked his hand against her, but she wasn't so far gone as to not take stock of their surroundings. They hadn't even made it into the alley on their walk away from the festivities. The side street was deserted now, but it wouldn't be for very long.

"We're in the middle of the street," Caroline gasped out.

"When has that ever stopped you?"

It was true. Klaus had turned her into a bit of an exhibitionist as of late. The thrill of being caught turned her on almost as much as the act itself sometimes. Rather than play coy, Caroline simply dragged her skirt up to make his job easier.

When he sank inside her, she cried out loudly. So loudly, she had to wonder whether or not she wanted them to be found.

Sometimes it was fun to let someone watch.

Tonight was not one those nights however, as Klaus clearly wanted her all to himself. He set a brutal pace, and the hard surface of the wall at her back kept her from doing much else besides rutting against him with every new thrust. He was demanding and rough, and he whispered wicked things in her ear when he wasn't panting into her neck.

Caroline huffed and cried out, and begged him not to stop, but that wasn't what he wanted from her.

"I need to hear you say it," he leaned back, never stopping the push and pull of their hips below. "Say you're mine, Caroline."

Through the haze of her fast approaching orgasm, Caroline nearly refused. She didn't want to be owned, and she certainly didn't want to confess to something that had been building between them just because they were in the middle of a fantastic round of sex. But seeing the quiet fear in his eyes, so different from his hardened demands earlier, she reconsidered.

He truly needed this from her. Whatever broken, lonely part of him that needed her hand to hold and her kisses before bed also needed this confession. Right now. Right here.

"I'm yours," she gasped out finally, smiling to see the fear retreat from his eyes, "I'm yours, Klaus."

He groaned as he kissed her, the words triggering his release. As his thrusts became erratic and desperate, she fell over that edge too.

Eventually, she cracked an eye open to see if they had indeed given anyone a free show. If so, they'd long since skedaddled. It was a shame really, since exhibitionism always felt hotter when you were aware you were being watched.

"So does that mean you're mine?" Caroline asked as she pulled her skirt back down and felt him press a kiss to her forehead.

Klaus chuckled into her hair. "I think we both know I've been yours for far longer than I'd like to admit."

* * *

After weeks and months traipsing here and there, Caroline realized that she hadn't been on her own in over a year. Almost two.

Had it really been that long?

Yes, they'd met up in December, and then there'd been Italy, France, the jaunt to Russia to see his esteemed Hermitage painting. Then back to the states for Stefan's birthday, and their few weeks in the city. She'd of course invited Klaus along with her to Brazil and then Machu Pichu had been right there, so why not? They'd rounded back to Ireland for St. Patrick's day, and then stopped in Scotland because did you know they filmed the majority of the Harry Potter films in Edinburgh castle? Then it was Paris because the Eiffel Tower on a Parisian summer night? Come on.

And now, here they were, all those months later, planning to head back to their little corner of the world in New Zealand.

And Caroline realized that they were very much _together_.

Not in the traveling companion, globe-trotter way. In the _together_ way. The 'knowing each other's coffee order' way. The 'of course you can have the window seat, I prefer harassing the flight attendants' way. The 'covering your feet with a blanket because one was sticking out and you seemed cold' way.

So on their 22 hour flight home - and yes, it was home, wasn't it? - Caroline lifted the arm rest between them, and snuck herself into Klaus' embrace, jarring him enough to wake him from a pretty deep sleep.

"You tricked me into dating you, did you know that?" she whispered.

Klaus smiled, but he didn't open his eyes, still partly asleep. "Did I? Apologies, love."

"It's all right," Caroline snuggled deeper. "I love you anyways."

He was very still, and for a moment Caroline thought maybe he'd fallen back asleep and hadn't heard her. Then, his arms tightened around her, and she felt a kiss pressed to the top of her head.

"Well, that's a relief." His sleepy, but contented voice mumbled out.

* * *

**And that's pretty much how I see Klaroline conquering the world. **

**With lots of casual sex that turns into 'I like you a lot' that turns into 'I need you a lot' that turns into 'I love you, but you already knew that didn't you?' **


	24. When The Right One Comes Along

**Title**: When The Right One Comes Along

**Disclaimer**: Anything TVD related belongs to the CW

_**A/N: This is a birthday present for the beautiful Melissa! She requested many things, but the one I ran with was **"4 times caroline celebrates the originals' birthdays and 1 time they celebrate hers."** It seemed appropriate, and it was honestly SO MUCH FUN to write. And naturally, I turned it into Klaroline gooeyness. I also got more than a little inspiration from her tags, so you can blame her for a ton of this ;)**_

_**The premise here is that TO never happened, and Caroline took Klaus up on his offer to go adventuring after her graduation. She just didn't plan for his family to play such a big part in said adventuring...**_

_**Also, I encourage you to listen to any rendition of Peggy Lee's 'Fever' during Klaus' section. Just saying.**_

* * *

_There's no music, no confetti_  
_Crowds don't cheer, and bells don't ring_  
_But you'll know it, I can guarantee_  
_When the right one comes along_

* * *

**Kol**

* * *

Looking out at his chaotic backyard, Klaus couldn't help but think Caroline had gone slightly overboard.

The open bar was a necessity, that much was obvious. But the florists, the fireworks, the extravagant meal, the live music, and the 300+ guest list? It was a bit much, all things considered.

She'd barely known Kol eight months, and most of that time he'd been... well... dead. Stuck on the Other Side, just waiting for one lonely Bennett witch to dance with the devil and unlock the gates. To see him returned to the land of the living was like seeing a second chance made manifest, and Klaus didn't intend to squander it. He was going to start over with his little brother. Always and forever and all that nonsense.

Unfortunately, now that Kol had been given a second chance at life, he'd made it his life's mission to live every day like it was his last.

Including his own birthday.

So a party was only natural. And a Caroline Forbes party was the only option left to them from the moment she'd seen the first catering company application.

"This is all your fault, Nik," Rebekah hissed, picking a steak knife up off a passing tray and hurling it at him.

He dodged easily, barely having to move from his spot lounging in the bay window. The knife embedded itself in the wall next to his head, and he frowned. "How so, Rebekah?"

"You just had to invite her along. This should be _my_ party. My family, my brother, my right!" Her voice grew more shrill with every accusation. "But _no_, my lovesick big brother wanted to sweep a small-town, self-important, immature, nit-wit of a-"

"Feel free to make your point at any time." Klaus interrupted.

"You brought her along with you, and now she's stolen my right to throw Kol's birthday party. His first birthday in over a hundred years, and a stranger is planning it!"

Klaus couldn't argue there.

He'd made his offer one last time after Caroline's graduation. _Come with me, and Tyler goes free_. He honestly hadn't expected her to take him up on it. She knew full well that he'd never kill that little mutt so long as she still held an ounce of affection for him. Tyler might be exiled from his home, but he was safe from any harm. So there was no need for her to accept his offer to leave Mystic Falls behind. She hadn't the first three times he'd offered.

But holding her high school diploma in one hand and her graduation cap in the other... Caroline had wavered.

He'd seen her consider - truly consider - what he was offering her. A chance to see the world. To leave her small town behind and explore the great wide somewhere. Without term papers and terrifying immortals on the agenda, he'd seen that idea take hold in her mind like a cancer.

And so she'd said yes.

_Strictly platonic travel buddies_ she'd warned him.

Here they were, three months later in Provence, basking in the summer sun and enjoying the South of France. He'd made no progress on his... romantic endeavors... but that didn't mean he wasn't making strides elsewhere.

For example, teaming up with Caroline against his sister always won him an affectionate pat on the arm or mischievous grin from his little blonde guest. Which is why he'd agreed to let Caroline throw this ridiculous event tonight. Picking her side had won him an actual hug - more of a tackle, but details - and he'd made sure to breathe her delicious scent in while she'd been plastered to him. Small victories.

"She couldn't even get Elijah to show up! That's how incompetent she is, and if you'd been thinking with your head instead of your- you're not even listening to me anymore!"

Rebekah's shrill whine brought him back. She was right. He wasn't listening to her. He was watching Caroline flit around the expansive terrace behind their new home. Lights were hung everywhere, a stage had been installed on top of the grass, and the picturesque Mediterranean served as the backdrop in the distance. She'd truly outdone herself, but even still she ran around with a clipboard, barking orders and rearranging things as she went.

Impressive, considering that only two of her staff spoke a word of English.

"Do you know she had the nerve to offer to let me _help_?" Rebekah spat. "If I knew you wouldn't dagger me for the next century, I'd rip her bleeding heart right out of her do-gooder chest."

His eyes snapped to Rebekah at the threat, "I wish you would stop pretending like I will one day find those kind of comments acceptable, Rebekah. Threaten her again, and you know exactly where you're headed." He let her see the finely tuned rage her little taunt had inspired to make his point clear.

"Have you guys seen the pastry chef?" Caroline's stressed out voice cut through the murderous tension in the room rather well as she breezed through the back door. "He was supposed to be here by 6:00 p.m. on the dot but... um, am I interrupting something?"

Klaus and Rebekah let their staring match go on for one more moment before the younger Original finally caved. "I'm afraid not. I was actually just telling Nik that the cake you ordered for tonight won't be arriving until tomorrow morning. Terrible mix up at the bakery."

"WHAT?!" Caroline screeched.

She flipped frantically through her checklist, muttering to herself about no-good caterers and flaky florists.

"She's only playing with you, Caroline," Klaus calmed her down, "The cake and everything else is perfectly on schedule. You should change before people start arriving. Unless blue jeans was your choice of fashion for the evening?"

Caroline let out a relieved sigh even as she glared at Rebekah. "I offered to let you help me plan tonight, you know."

Rebekah scoffed, "I've planned masked balls for princes and coronations for kings. The fact that you would relegate me to 'the help' is one of the most insulting things I've ever heard."

"Oh, now that just wounds me sister," Kol trotted in from the next room, abuzz with his own excitement for the evening, "I thought all the most insulting things you'd ever heard were from me?"

"Your entire existence is an insult, Kol," she shot back, "You know that."

Kol grinned, and Klaus couldn't even begrudge the arm he slung over Caroline's shoulder. He saw the young vampire tense at the contact like she always did before settling down. Even after all this time, Kol still frightened her. They could take day trips to the beach, go clubbing every evening, and make vampire faces at the aquarium sharks all they wanted, but a small part of Caroline would always be on guard with his psychotic little brother.

All the better, really.

"So Caroline," Kol segued easily away from the cat fight that had nearly just taken place, "You've been coy about it so far, but come on, love. Please tell me you ordered a few... ladies of night to attend this little soiree of yours?"

"I didn't get you hookers, Kol."

"But if by chance you did, I'd make sure to remind you that they should be ethnically diverse. I like to have choices, after all."

"Once more with feeling," Caroline droned, "_I didn't get you hookers._"

Kol carried on, "Yes, yes, but-"

Caroline groaned and finally shrugged his arm off, "No prostitutes are coming to this party, Kol. Period."

Kol pouted, putting on his best heartbroken expression.

Caroline rolled her eyes and sighed. "There is a slight chance that I did request a few girls from the burlesque club downtown to put on a performance, but a _performance_ is all!" she warned him. "And anyone that walks through those doors with a pulse, sure as hell better be leaving with one. Capiche?"

"Yes m'am!" Kol saluted before turning to his brother. "Your girl runs a tight ship, Nik, but she got me hookers, so I guess we're all squared away."

He took off for the kitchen - no doubt to snack on the innocent wait staff - and Caroline had to call after his retreating form. "They _not _hookers, Kol!"

Klaus couldn't help but laugh at Caroline's stricken expression. "I'll make sure he stays within your rules, sweetheart," he promised. "Heaven forbid the wrath of Caroline Forbes reins down on this house otherwise."

Caroline grinned but Rebekah groaned.

"Forgive me, I may vomit," his sister rolled her eyes.

"I'll be upstairs." Caroline set her clipboard down in front of Klaus before heading towards the staircase that led up to her room. "If you could remove the cutlery from the walls before the guests get here, that would be super."

Klaus knew that was as close to a 'handing of the baton' as he'd ever get for this party. He pulled the knife out of the wall regardless. While Caroline readied herself up with hair and makeup and jewelry, she was counting on him to oversee the rest of the details in the hour before they opened the doors. He didn't mind the task so much. After all, he was a famed party planner himself on occasion.

He didn't end up even seeing Caroline until hours later in the evening.

Guests had arrived in droves, and it had been his and Rebekah's responsibility to greet them. Kol had a gaggle of vampiric and witchy friends overseas, and it seemed all of them had turned up to celebrate his resurrection and 1013th birthday.

When all heads finally turned to the small stage Caroline had erected near the waterfront to see a group of very flexible women start taking their clothes off, he finally spotted her sitting at an empty table. She'd definitely dressed for the occasion. Her hair was twisted in an elegant ponytail and the sequined party dress she wore gave her a younger and more festive vibe than any of the ballgowns or cocktail dresses he'd seen her wear at those Mystic Falls events.

Klaus snagged two champagne glasses off the nearest waiter's tray and slid gracefully into the chair beside her. Her smile of greeting only wobbled a little when their knees brushed intimately together as he offered her the glass of bubbly.

"You're very determined to make this our 'thing' aren't you?" he heard the smile in her voice.

"Most people wouldn't consider having a $300 bottle of champagne as their 'thing' such a terrible burden to bear."

Caroline took the glass from him, and he smiled at her acquiescence. Progress didn't always seem like progress at the start, but Klaus new that when you started to look at things through the lens of decades and centuries and millennia, every small move forward was another wave against shore. Eventually, that's how you moved mountains.

"To Kol," she lifted her champagne flute in a toast.

"To a thousand more birthdays," he clinked their glasses together.

There was a slight pause before she lifted the glass to her mouth for a sip. His little reference had not gone unnoticed. But neither would it go rewarded. Tough luck, but hope sprung eternal. Especially for a vampire.

They both sipped on their champagne while watching the razzle dazzle happening up on the stage in front of them. Kol had been led up to sit on a small throne - predictable - while the dancers taunted and teased him with their provocative dancing. He hammed it up and played along like a good birthday boy, and he heard Caroline let out a noise that was a somewhere between between a chortle and a scoff.

"I can never decided if I'm offended by this kind of show or impressed." Caroline squinted up at the spectacle, grabbing another drink for herself off a passing tray.

"How so?"

"Well on the one hand, this is a blatantly sexist display of women taking their clothes off for the viewing pleasure of men. It's objectifying and insulting, right?" she didn't seem to want an answer, so he didn't give one. "But on the other hand, who am I to judge these women for the incredibly lucrative business of commodifying their own bodies? If they feel comfortable enough to strip down in front of a crowd, then more power to them for taking advantage of the misogynistic culture that lets them make $3,000 a pop for one night of shimmying. Free that tatas, I guess?"

Klaus could barely keep his laughter from bubbling over, and he had to wonder just how many drinks his lovely Caroline had imbibed this evening. She did tend to get a little loose lipped after a few rounds. Just not in the way he would have preferred.

"I think that I'd have to answer your many rhetorical questions with a question of my own." Klaus finally answered.

"Shoot." Caroline prompted.

"Would you ever do it?"

He saw her brows draw down in confusion for moment, and then shoot straight up when she realized what he was asking. "Strip?"

"I believe they prefer to call it burlesque, Caroline."

Her eyes returned to the stage, now absent of Kol or any of the silly props they'd been using before. There were simply six chairs, six dancers, and a sultry song moving them around the stage. Sequins and feathers aside, it was certainly... entrancing. Caroline seemed distracted for a moment, considering if she'd ever be brave enough or comfortable enough to reveal herself like that. If her shifting morals would ever see it as a sign of strength and independence rather than a degrading spectacle.

Klaus couldn't resist leaning towards her to pitch his low voice in her ear, "I've seen you dance, you know. I've seen you _perform_. Those competitions and pep rallies might not have been racy or provocative, but I saw how you loved to have all those eyes on you. To be the center of their attention."

Caroline still had her gaze locked on the stage, but he could see a slight blush on her cheeks. She did love to show off.

"So could you stand all that attention, all those eyes? If you were wearing a few scant pieces of silk, carefully crafted to show the audience just enough of you to be enticed, but never enough to satisfy what they really want? Do you think you could ever do that, love?"

Slowly - so slowly Klaus couldn't tell if she was in fact moving at all - Caroline turned her head to look at him.

Her breathing was soft and perfectly timed, the picture of restraint, but he could tell by how shallow each breath was that she was not unaffected by his words. He didn't move a muscle. He'd sit here for the next ten years if it meant Caroline would keep looking at him like he was the serpent himself, tempting her to take something she knew was forbidden.

Finally, she blinked, and the spell was broken. Tossing back the rest of her drink, she rose from the table, likely to get away from him.

At the last second, she turned over her shoulder to look at him one last time, blonde ponytail bouncing all the way. "Maybe. One day."

She smirked and then left him to his half-full glass of champagne. Klaus set the drink down, leaving it as it was, thinking that he'd never been happier to celebrate the day his bothersome baby brother had come into the world.

* * *

**Elijah**

* * *

Elijah's special day had been a pickle.

Rebekah refused to plan the event, deeming Elijah's type of evening a bore and not worthy of her time. Kol was off doing God knows what in the California desert with a group of witches, and Klaus... well Klaus was still holding a grudge.

Some business about cures and Silas and Katerina and picking sides like a no-good, backstabber of a brother.

She'd missed the particulars in Klaus' aggravated rant.

And so the job fell to Caroline. Goodie.

Elijah had waved her off, telling her that he'd had several hundred birthday parties over the years, so another was unnecessary. But a man didn't fly all the way to Greece on his birthday if he 'didn't want a party.' Elijah might play at being the noble and above-it-all big brother, but he was a lonely man, she could tell. He wanted his siblings to celebrate with him, so dammit, they would celebrate.

"Elegant, intimate, and understated," Rebekah nodded as she inspected Caroline's beachfront dinner party. "Boring, like I said, but perfectly suited for Elijah. He'll love it. Well done, Caroline."

"Was that an actual compliment?" Caroline couldn't help but feel floored at the praise, "Do I need to check the wine for werewolf venom?"

"Sarcasm is for the dimwitted, darling," Rebekah sniffed back, "Try a little harder next time."

Not even Rebekah's almost-insult, almost-compliment could dampen her mood though. The torches and the sand and the setting sun gave the perfect casual atmosphere, which juxtaposed nicely with the immaculately set table - you could never have too much crystal - and the exquisite five course meal she'd had prepared. The chocolate fondue desert was going to be to die for.

Now all that was left to worry about was whether her guests would follow the dress code. White. The invitations had said formal beachwear - which was a THING dammit - white attire only please.

And if there was even a drop of color on one of these people...

Caroline took a deep breath.

"There you go, sweetheart," Klaus called out as he strolled down the beach towards her, "In and out, just like the therapist said."

"You're hilarious," she glared and straightened a place card.

"I do try." His grin was infectious.

Caroline gave him the once over, pleased to note that he'd worn all white as requested. It was a strange look on him. He usually wore such dark colors to fit his naturally brooding exterior. There was a more... relaxed feel to him in the white, button-down and slacks. He wouldn't let go of those damn necklaces though for the life of him.

Secretly, she was glad. They made him _Klaus_. Not to mention they sparked quite a few fantasies about dragging him closer by the beaded chains and-

Anyways. The necklaces worked.

He seemed to appreciate her perusal, and he gave her one of his own. She'd never admit that she'd chosen a strapless dress because Klaus had - rather drunkenly - revealed that he loved the bare curve of her shoulder, or that she'd curled her hair - even though the wind would ruin it - because he appeared to be constantly fighting the urge to run his hands through her hair if it tumbled just so.

When the wind did in fact toss one of those her curls over her eyes, his hand shot out quickly to push it back in place. She felt a thumb against her cheek and then a palm sliding down her bared shoulder as he dragged his hand away.

These kind of touches were growing more and more common between them.

She was guilty of it too. A leg hooked over his when there wasn't enough room on the couch. A quick squeeze of his shoulder when she passed by him in the kitchen. It felt natural. And yet still... loaded.

There was only so much patience and adoration a girl could take before she started thinking things, after all.

"Why are there ten places?" Klaus asked curiously, drawing her attention back to the table.

"Hmm?" Caroline pretended not to notice. "Are there?"

Klaus was instantly suspicious. "Caroline, you know there are. And yet the guest list you handed me yesterday showed nine. Now either the caterers made a mistake, which is unlikely given you're not screaming bloody murder at the moment, or... there was a last minute addition."

She palmed the name card she'd been hiding all evening. Logically, Caroline knew she'd have to face the music eventually, and frankly she was amazed it had gone on this long. But still.

"There may have been a bit of... subterfuge going on during the whole planning process," Caroline admitted finally, tinkering with the already perfect place setting in front of her. "But honestly, you can't hold a grudge forever, Klaus. I mean, _you_ can obviously because first there's that whole 'literal forever' thing, plus have you met you? I mean, heaven help us if you ever get interested in sports because those poor players-

"Caroline."

"Yeah... there's a tenth guest that Elijah asked me to hide from you."

What? If she was going down, she was taking everyone with her. Self-sacrifice was for suckers.

"Who?" Klaus demanded.

Caroline smashed her lips shut, holding onto the secret for just a minute longer, before finally handing the name card over to the suspicious Original.

As it turns out, it wasn't necessary.

"Thanks for the invite, Care bear," a sweetly seductive voice spoke over the crashing waves behind them, "What are the odds I leave here with my spine in tact?"

Klaus didn't even let his eyes lift from the artfully scrawled _Katherine Pierce_ place card in his hand. He only crumpled it up as he growled, "_Katerina_."

"Klaus!" Caroline lamented the crushed card. She'd worked hard on that calligraphy...

Klaus was on Katherine in a flash.

Or he would have been, if Elijah hadn't appeared out of nowhere to step in between them. He held Klaus back by the throat, but Original Hybrid trumped Original Vampire, and eventually Elijah went down. Caroline grimaced, watching the two brothers grapple and growl. Insults and screams were tossed back and forth as they eventually went sprawling into the sand. Her eyes lifted to Katherine's over the scuffling pair. The doppelganger looked a little nervous but mostly amused.

Caroline considered trying to intervene, but there were no daggers or white oak stakes here, so the worst that could happen was a temporarily snapped neck.

She eyed Katherine carefully as Klaus and Elijah continued on.

"Nice dress," she complimented her old frenemy.

Katherine was wrapped up in a tight, white number, more suited for a club than the beach, but Caroline wasn't going to play particulars when the girl had risked her life to attend a dinner party. And she'd followed the dress code too.

"Nice hair." Katherine shot back.

Her beachy curls were rather perfect tonight, and the compliment did not go unappreciated. If anyone knew hair, it was Katherine Pierce.

They both got distracted when Klaus dragged a chair away from the table and broke off a leg, turning it into a wooden weapon. His move rocked the table, spilling cups and candle holders everywhere.

"Hey!" Caroline screamed in outrage.

Before she could even get another word out, the makeshift stake was hurtling through the air towards Katherine's heart. Her hand rose quickly to catch it, but she needn't have bothered. Elijah had it firmly in his grasp before it could reach her, and he tossed it right back at Klaus. It sunk into the hybrid's leg, and red bloomed on his white pants from the wound.

Caroline nearly whined in dismay. There went her all white event...

The brothers stopped throwing punches, probably realizing that neither of them had a suitable weapon at the moment, and instead started throwing accusations and threats. Klaus was angrier by far, worked up into a frenzy by the renewed agitation of Katerina Petrova.

"What sort of trick is this?" Klaus demanded.

"It's not a trick." Elijah breathed heavily. "I thought it was about time you put this ridiculous animosity for Katerina away, and Caroline agreed."

Uh-oh.

Klaus rounded on her, the co-conspirator, before locking back in on his brother. "You dragged Caroline into your mess?" he seethed at Elijah.

"He didn't drag me into anything, I think-"

"I don't care what you think, Caroline." Klaus dismissed her excuses. That stung.

"You've broken that all-important curse of yours," Elijah tried again, "You have what you wanted. Leave Katerina be, Niklaus."

Reason and logic would not calm him down though, not in the face of this kind of surprise assault. They'd hoped keeping Katherine's arrival a secret would give Klaus less time to plot something nefarious, but all it had ended up doing was putting him on guard. Klaus was feeling cornered and when Klaus felt cornered...

"You dare to bring her here? To what? Spit in my face?"

Elijah rolled his eyes, "As always, brother, it's all about you. Never perhaps my own happiness or pleasure?"

"I think I'll leave your _pleasure_ to Katerina. She's no doubt more than taken care of you in that department. Tell me, Elijah, what whiles has she brought to your bed lately to force this kind of open betrayal?"

"Okay, enough!" Caroline shouted. "Enough, Klaus!"

He glared at her, "Stay out of this, you silly little girl. I'll deal with you later."

Before the red hot rage at essentially being told to shut up could seep in, Caroline let herself feel a lash of pain. Klaus never yelled at her. The only time he'd come close had been that taunt with the witches back in Mystic Falls, and she'd just called him a terrible person unworthy of love so... she'd chalked that one up to fragile feelings. But this, it just hurt. The rage took over eventually, and before Caroline knew it, her hand was shooting out to grab a beautifully painted china plate and then launching that plate through the air towards the back of Klaus' head.

It connected with a high pitched _crack! _that scared off even the seagulls.

Knocked him forward a bit too.

Katherine and Elijah's eyes both went comically wide at the same time.

Slowly, Klaus turned towards her, murder in his eyes. Caroline still felt that simmering rage, but it was coated with something worse. Something that reeked of Mystic Falls and humanity and pageants and playgrounds. It wasn't until she felt her eyes growing hot that she realized tears were filling them up, and that was just- that was unacceptable.

She turned around, beautiful white dress that didn't matter anymore whipping in the wind, and took off down the beach. She didn't run - wouldn't give him that satisfaction - but she was certainly making time with her human speed.

_Silly little girl... girly little Caroline... she's an insecure, neurotic, bitchy, little twit... stupid and shallow and useless..._

They were all petty little reminders from another world, another life, but they still hurt. Like an old knife wound opening up, ripped stitches and torn skin that would never just heal dammit. They shouldn't have been pulled to the surface so abruptly, but... the way Klaus had looked at her... the way he had dismissed her like she wasn't even...

He was the one person who was _never _supposed to look at her like that. Talk to her like that. He treated her like the sun, and she'd grown too used to shining in his presence. Silly little girl. That wasn't what Caroline Forbes was meant for. It was a nice reminder of who she really was. Honestly. The tears rolling down her cheeks and the hiccups catching in her breath were signs of relief. Really.

"Caroline!"

Oh no. She didn't want to see him right now. She wanted to walk the beach in her romantic white dress and cry her eyes out as the sun set across the waves. Maybe pretend she was starring in her own sappy little Lifetime movie. Couldn't that just be her night? It really would make her feel better.

"Caroline, wait!"

Klaus actually had the nerve to speed to her side. Cheater. She was walking for dramatic effect and vampire speed was cheating.

"Caroline, I didn't mean-"

"What?!" Caroline screamed at him, finally ready for this fight. "You didn't mean to ruin the entire evening? First you get into a fist fight with your brother _on his birthday, _then you try to kill his girlfriend, then you absolutely destroy the table I spent hours putting together-"

"Technically, you threw the plate-"

"Arrgghhgh!" she screamed, turning away from him again. She was tempted to swim all the way to Athens, if only she didn't know he'd catch her in a heartbeat.

"Okay," Klaus held up his hands, "That's fair, I broke the chair first."

Caroline wanted to strangle him for that, "It's not about the damn chair!"

"Clearly," Klaus answered back.

She crossed her arms, still walking and praying that he'd give up and go back to murder Katherine or something. She liked the girl, really she kind of did, but what was one more near death experience for the unkillable Katerina Petrova if it gave Caroline the night off?

Klaus just continued to walk next to her though, trying to find the words to express himself. Finally, "I didn't mean to... I know that I hurt your feelings, Caroline, and I'm sorry for it."

"You didn't."

"I think I did," he answered back, "The piece of china lodged in my skull is telling me so."

"It's all just one big joke to you, isn't it?" Caroline huffed, trying to keep the tears at bay. "This party, this trip, me? A joke that the terrifyingly terrible Klaus Mikaelson likes to play on himself every now and then. Pick up some hick from a small town and treat her for just one second like maybe- no! How dare you! I'm not laughing, and if you'll excuse me, this _silly little girl_ would rather walk the beach alone, thank you!"

Klaus went silent next to her, probably trying to find a lick of logic in everything she'd just said.

It all made perfect sense in her head. Let him figure it out.

"You're not a joke, Caroline."

"I know I'm not!" she screamed, "I'm awesome! I'm thoughtful and kind, and I'm deep, okay? Like the abyss deep! But you boys... you never see that! You never take a second look! All you see is girly little Caroline, isn't she just _so_ amusing? You were supposed to be different, Klaus! You were supposed to be something else, and you're not. Of course you're not!"

She finally turned towards him and pushed him away from her. A sharp shove on his shoulders, and then she couldn't stop. She hammered at him, throwing all her accusations and hurt feelings and insecurities into him. Like he could maybe take them all away from her.

"Caroline! Caroline stop!" Klaus grabbed at her fists, keeping them from launching at him again. "Will you stop?"

He leveled his gaze on her, and if it weren't for the near gallon of vervain she ingested every week, she'd think he'd just compelled her. One look into his stormy blue eyes had all the adrenaline and all the fight rushing out of her. She actually sagged in his arms. And damn it all to hell, he hugged her. He hugged her body to him like he knew she needed that wall of comfort surrounding her. Shielding her from the cold waves lapping at her feet and the harsh wind whipping at her back.

"You're not silly. You're not a joke. Not to me."

Caroline shuddered as she took a choppy breath in, and she shook further when she let it out again.

"I..." she couldn't think of a single thing to say.

Two minutes ago she could have ranted until her vocal cords were rubbed raw, and now she couldn't speak.

"I never should have said that to you," Klaus apologized, "I was angry, and I knew what would hurt you most, so I said it. I've... I've got very little experience persuading the people in my life to stay... in my life. I'm quite practiced, however, at driving them away. You'll forgive me, as I unlearn bad habits?"

Caroline considered that. Klaus really did seem to have a talent for forcing the people he cared about most away from him. He knew where to hit hardest, and he wasn't afraid to go for the jugular in a fight. For someone who so desperately feared being alone, he sure did have a knack for getting himself in those exact situations.

After a moment's consideration, Caroline nodded into his shoulder. "I'm sorry I yelled. And hit you." She apologized. "Emotions are kind of amplified when you're a vampire, so I hear."

Klaus chuckled, and they both shook with how wrapped up they were. "So I hear."

They held onto each other for a long time, and when he finally released her, it was only a fraction of an inch. Far enough that he could press one, then two soft kisses to her forehead. She couldn't help but nuzzle back, returning the affection.

Eventually, Klaus sighed and breathed into her hair, "Caroline."

"Hmm?"

"You wouldn't happen to have had anything to do with my daggers disappearing this morning, would you?"

"Mhhmmm," she nodded again, letting the scruff on his chin scrape roughly against her forehead. "I shipped them to Iceland."

Klaus sighed and shook his head, laughing a little. "Good girl."

"I do try," she mimicked his words from earlier.

They walked back to the party together, and Klaus never really unwrapped his arms from around her. When they got there, dinner was in full swing, and Kol was seated on Katherine's right, wearing a bright blue suit.

Bastard.

* * *

**Rebekah**

* * *

"I can't believe you just shopped it out to Caroline, Nik," Rebekah complained. "I asked _you _to throw me a party, not your will-they-won't-they-who-really-cares girlfriend."

"I did not shop it out to Caroline," Klaus groaned back, wisely ignoring the second half of his sister's complaint.

Rebekah sniffed, "So you decided all on your own to have a black tie event in a Gothic Sforza castle, hosted within spitting distance of fashion week in Milan? You ordered the red velvet layer cake and specified the wait staff wear burgundy accents that perfectly matched the rose centerpieces?"

Caroline kept her mouth shut and watched Klaus debate for a minute whether lying was his best option or not.

"Caroline may have had some input," he finally admitted, "But it's only because I wanted to give you the perfect evening."

Rebekah seemed to be physically restraining herself from rudeness. Her extended vacation to that Tibetan meditation temple last month had done her wonders in the rage control department. Klaus swore it would only last a week - tops - but Caroline was determined to enjoy that week to the fullest.

She took pity on the poor hybrid eventually, "Honestly, Rebekah, it was finishing touches only. He was totally at the helm of this whole thing. I had to fight him tooth and nail for control most of time. It was actually kind of adorable, watching him play the doting big brother."

That seemed to mollify the birthday girl somewhat, as she took another look around the room filled to the brim with her oldest friends. Friends that only Klaus would know to contact, seeing as most of them had at least three centuries under their belt.

"You do realize you just called the most powerful being on the planet 'adorable' don't you, love?" Klaus teased her, and Caroline allowed it.

"You do realize you have dimples for days, right?" she shot back. "You're the definition of a puppy dog."

Klaus tried to chew back a smile, but that only made the aforementioned dimples appear on his cheeks. Caroline bit back a flirtatious grin of her own.

"Really?" Rebekah's annoyance killed the moment, "Can't you two just fuck already?"

Caroline nearly spilled her wine across the pristine white tablecloth in front of her at Rebekah's uncouth suggestion. "We're platonic travel buddies," she corrected Klaus' sister, "That's all. That was the deal."

"Yes, yes, and the lady protests..." the Original sister waved her off, "But this constant game of back and forth is truly nauseating, and if a good shag means I'll finally be rid of you, Caroline Forbes, then I might just compel that libido of yours into gear to make it happen."

"Bekah..." Klaus growled.

"Cheers!" Rebekah toasted them before sashaying across the room to a gaggle of guests she had yet to greet.

There really should have been no awkwardness at her departure - this was not the first time Rebekah had said something crass about their relationship, and it would not be the last - but something about this particular comment left a bad taste in Caroline's mouth. She sipped at her wine and rearranged the skirt of her ballgown, trying to ignore the way Klaus eyed her discomfort suspiciously.

Eventually he extended a hand to her, "Time for a dance, I think?"

Caroline nodded, eager to get away from their empty table and the even emptier silence that had settled between them. The waltz currently in motion was a familiar one, and she had to thank the Miss Mystic Falls etiquette classes one last time for ensuring her debutante education was a thorough one. Still, she kept silent instead of engaging Klaus in a conversation, pretending to focus on the steps she could have performed in her sleep. The pull of violin strings and the soft shuffling of steps were practically deafening in comparison.

"I would ask what's wrong," Klaus broke their standoff, "But I think I have a fairly good idea."

"Oh yeah?" she answered, "Go for it, Dr. Freud."

He smiled at her challenge, "Well it can't be that Rebekah made reference to our lack of romantic entanglements," he guessed correctly, "Since she's been taunting me with that particular brand of torture since we left Mystic Falls. It also can't be her threat of compulsion, since we both know you've been guzzling vervain every day and every night to avoid that."

"Give the man a prize, he knows what's _not _wrong with me," Caroline joked, hoping he would just let the subject drop.

"So it stands to reason," he continued, "That you've either taken issue with her desire to be rid of you, or her insinuation that one good round of sex would be all that's needed to accomplish that end."

"Hmm..." Caroline's non-committal noise probably didn't help matters.

Klaus sighed, "You don't give a damn if Rebekah wants you here or not, we both know that. Please don't tell me you actually believe I'd be done with you if I was ever lucky enough to seduce you into my bed, Caroline."

"Please," she rolled her eyes, "If we ever went there we both know that your powers of seduction would have nothing to do with it."

Well that wasn't exactly a denial was it?

Caroline tried to twist her lips out of a frown, but it wouldn't happen. Klaus stayed silent, maybe waiting for her to say something, but once again, Caroline Forbes found herself suspiciously quiet in the face of her ever-changing feelings.

Things between her and Klaus had been heading in very... heated direction lately. It was no longer just an innocent squeeze of the shoulder or an affectionate hand in her hair. It was wandering fingers on her hip as they walked the Italian side streets together, and a feather-light ghost of lips against her cheek when they said goodbye for the night. It was dances like these, where they were pressed together far more intimately than the steps required, but damn, it felt right, so screw propriety.

They'd been growing so much more _intimate_ lately, and it scared the pants off of her.

Sneaking another peek at Klaus, Caroline caught him staring at her, eager and ready for whatever she wanted to say. She couldn't exactly deny him some sort of explanation.

"I've been saying no to you for two years, Klaus." Caroline finally looked him right in the eye. "Most women would take that - and the fact that I've barely seen you even look at another woman in all our time together - as a sure sign of your commitment."

"But you're not most women." Klaus clarified.

"No, I'm not." She agreed. "And you're absolutely not most men. You chased Katherine around the globe for 500 years, just because she screwed over your little sacrifice. You spent who knows how many centuries before that fixated on breaking a curse. Giving up just isn't built into your DNA, even I can see that."

Klaus looked genuinely confused as they continued to twirl, "So what's the problem, then?"

"The problem is that I've _also_ seen you get exactly what you want. I've seen you get your old buddy Stefan-the-ripper back, whom you dropped like a bad habit the second it was convenient. I've seen you cart your family around in coffins only to push them all away once they were awake. I've seen you make dozens of your precious hybrids and then slaughter them yourself less than six moths later. You might be a relentless little monster, but you're also pretty quick to move on once you have what you want."

"Caroline-" Klaus sighed, aggravated.

"No, it's true," she argued, "And I'm sorry, but despite what you are and the things you do, I- I like you. A lot. And I like the friendship we have. So no... I'm not going to sleep with you and get tossed aside after two months just because you get bored easily."

The slight clenching of Klaus' jaw and the subtle tightening of his hand around hers were the only clues as to how he was feeling at this moment. If she had to guess? Angry, insulted, rejected... and a little hurt. Luckily for them both, their dance came to an end, allowing Klaus to take a step back from her. He gave her a quick nod to thank her for the dance and then proceeded to storm out the double doors to the gardens outside.

That was that, then.

For a second, Caroline let her heart break. Had she honestly believed that if she confronted Klaus with her feelings, he would accept them and try to be her friend? She'd figured they had reached that point in their relationship, but maybe not. Maybe it was all just heated looks and flirty banter. They hadn't really become friends, after all, had they?

Apparently not, if her firm and final refusal had elicited such a tantrum from him. He really had just wanted in her pants.

She considered heading back to their hotel to pack up her bags. Screw the secret girls weekend she'd planned for her and Bekah in Milan - because she did like having Caroline around, it was pretty obvious- screw the promise to let Tyler go free, screw Klaus. But how the hell was that fair? She'd bared her soul because she hadn't wanted to tank their budding relationship. And then he'd gone and done that all on his own. Like hell.

She stormed after him, only realizing when the cold droplets of water began to rain down on her from above that it was pouring outside.

Taking a quick look around, she spotted him hunched in an alcove, arms crossed and brooding. Caroline made a run for it.

"Hey!" she practically skidded into the too small space, their drenched limbs bumping and colliding. She was almost as desperate to get out of the rain as she was to speak her mind, "That was a douche move, you know."

"Was it now?" Klaus leaned back, giving her as much room as possible while still pouting.

"Yeah!" Caroline answered, offended. "So you only want to be my friend if it leads to sex later? God, you realize the friend zone is not an actual place right? It's a made up concept for assholes like you, who prioritize your stupid romantic fantasies over actual human feelings-"

"Oh, shut up!" Klaus interrupted, yelling at her.

Caroline gaped, "Excuse me?"

"Shut up about your silly friend zones and your romantic fantasies, they've got nothing to do with us!"

"I'm sorry," she hissed, "Did you just miss the last ten minutes? I told you I wouldn't risk this great thing we've got going for a few rolls in the hay, and you acted like a toddler who'd just learned his spoon wasn't actually a rocket ship! Do you know how insulting it is to find out that after all this time all you really wanted was-"

Klaus made a noise between a groan and a shout, and Caroline stopped dead. "Yes, let's not forget that I'm a merciless monster incapable of actual emotion! Obviously I only wanted you for the sex. Why else would I spend two years wooing you and traveling with you and seeing a damn therapist to work on my supposed 'abandonment issues' every week? It must be because I intend to ravish you and then toss you out with the trash. _Because that's just the kind of man I am!_"

Caroline almost had to take a step back as he shouted in her face. It was physically impossible, squeezed together as they were, but the urge was still there.

"You never told me you were seeing a therapist." She finally murmured, the rain nearly drowning her words out.

"Because it's ridiculous!"

"No, it's not." She argued weakly.

Klaus rubbed the spot between his eyes in frustration, taking three deep breaths, and she wondered absently if it was part of his therapy.

He spoke again, in a much calmer voice this time. "I'm not angry that you denied my advances yet again. I'm rather used to that by now. I'm angry because after all this time, after everything you've seen and all the changes I've made... you still can't even fathom the idea that I'm being sincere when I say that I want to be with you. Not for a month or a year or even a century. I want to be with you. Period. Forever. Done."

"You say that now..." Caroline shook her head, but Klaus just held up a hand.

"And again, you don't even hear me!" He looked out into the rainy night and grit his teeth together. "Caroline, I am a thousand years old, and I'm entitled to know my own mind a little better than you, I think. My intentions, however much you doubt them, are exactly as I've always said. If forever is not what you want from me, simply say so. If companionship is all you need, I'm happy to provide it. But don't you dare beg off because you're afraid I don't love you. That's on _you_, not me."

He glared at her - actually glared during his entire admission of love - and she couldn't help but glare right back.

Klaus wasn't yelling anymore, but he was damn close to it, and she didn't like being yelled at. Least of all by him.

Eventually, he shook his head and moved to squeeze past her back out into the rain, but she held up a hand against his chest to stop him. He looked down at it, then back up at her, a clear challenge in his eyes.

"You can't ever just leave well enough alone, can you?" she pursed her lips in aggravation.

He raised an eyebrow, still pushing against her hand just the slightest bit. A warning. Was he leaving or staying?

Caroline leaned up slowly, pressing forward just enough, but Klaus stayed exactly where he was. Their noses brushed together, Klaus tensed up in front of her. She hovered like that for a single, agonizing second, in the small space where she could still turn away and forget this. Where she could go home and forget about hybrids and Originals and eternal promises of devotion.

She considered doing just that.

And then she filled that space with a small, feather-light kiss. Just a slow, soft brush of her lips against his. Then another one. She felt a ragged, nervous breath escape Klaus and puff against her lips. It gave her the nerve to tilt her head just so and press her mouth to his fully.

It wasn't long before she felt Klaus smile, less concerned with kissing her than finally winning this little stalemate of theirs. She pulled him back into the alcove by his lapels, careful to keep her mouth on his, and brushed her tongue softly against that smirk. It dropped pretty damn fast.

Klaus pushed forward, and Caroline felt the stone wall at her back as he started to kiss her with intent. She clutched at him and tried in vain to keep from making weak little noises as he took control of the kiss. He brushed her soaked hair off her face and then cupped the back of her neck to keep her plastered to him. As for his mouth, well it was busy elsewhere, biting and sucking on her tongue, her lips, her neck, her collarbone, any piece of Caroline he could find.

She was actually panting by the time she pulled away, and that was only because this sort of thing was not going to go on in a cramped little corner with rain pouring all around them and soaked couture starting to feel like cardboard on their skin. Plus, you know, lightning. Not exactly the stuff of great romance.

Caroline did keep her forehead pressed against his though, and they both smiled like idiots for a minute.

"Back inside," Klaus finally offered her his arm, "To face Rebekah's wrath for our wet clothes."

"The horror," Caroline giggled, sneaking another kiss from him before ignoring his arm and taking off into the rain.

They ended up chasing each other around the gardens for a long while, stopping to attack each other with fevered kisses every now and then, before they finally returned to the party. Rebekah's incensed glare was a small price to pay for tackling this little hurdle of theirs though.

Caroline had the feeling it was the first of many, but that was half the fun, right?

* * *

**Klaus**

* * *

After so many exciting and exotic locations, a nice, familiar setting like Chicago was actually a relief for Klaus.

He'd traveled the world ten times over, but he'd never traveled it with Caroline. With her, there were museums and pub crawls and bike tours and culture classes. He did his best to show her the hidden gems of every city as well, but that meant that it was all-travel all-the-time for them. But Chicago - Chicago was old hat. Being back in the states put Caroline's wanderlust back in its box for a bit, which was a relief to be frank. If his feet could actually get sore, he was sure he'd have walked them off somewhere between Amsterdam and Cologne.

They were doing just fine now, however, dancing slowly in Gloria's retrofitted bar.

His girl was a sneaky one, and she'd planned this whole birthday event without him hearing a whisper of it. And it was perfect.

His old hangout had been transformed back to its glory days in the 1920's. The walls were lined with red velvet, chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and champagne flowed from every waiter, barkeep, and hostess. His guests, some of whom he recognized, many of whom he did not, were decked out in accordance with the theme. Women wore flapper dresses and sparkling headbands, while the men palled around in tuxedos and white gloves.

Honestly, he half expected Stefan to round the corner with blood on his tie and a wicked grin on his face.

"You did say I would have loved the 20's." Caroline teased, watching him take it all in.

He spun her delicately to the crooning voice of the woman on stage. She was no Gloria, but she sure could sing. "It's stunning and almost exactly as I remember it. Not that I should expect anything less from you."

She preened under the compliment. "I'm glad you like it. It's not every day a man turns... 1018? 1019? How old are you anyways, you fossil?"

Klaus swatted her and laughed as she jumped a little. "I do admit though," he sighed a little forlornly, "I wish you could have experienced the thrill of these parties when it was all so deliciously forbidden. Everything going on here is decidedly legal. Shame."

"Well, I know for a fact that your sister packed this place beyond capacity, and I'm also pretty sure I saw Kol sneak a girl behind that curtained off area over there." Caroline reasoned. "Whether he's eating her or screwing her, at least we know not _everything _going on in here is legal?"

"Why, Caroline," Klaus pretended to be shocked, turning her again, "That was a rather cavalier way to talk about my brother feasting on some poor innocent soul. Wherever is that determined sense of morality you're so fond of?"

"Har, har," Caroline mocked, "We both know he stays on his best behavior around me," she leaned up to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth, "Something I'm more than grateful for, by the way."

Klaus just laughed, "Who says I had anything to do with it? Maybe he's just taken a liking to you because you got him hookers for his birthday."

"They weren't-" she glared at the obvious taunt. "Well, well, look who's the comedian tonight."

"You're right," he stopped their dance, "I'm clearly not drunk enough if I can be this impeccably witty, which goes against everything a 20's themed party is supposed to be."

He dragged her to a booth in the back, carrying two bottles of champagne, which they proceeded to drain dry all on their own. Klaus entertained her with stories and jokes from the lost decade of prohibition, and Caroline listened with rapt attention, pressed in close. He found his self-control slipping, and he had to fight to keep his hands in appropriate places. All his senses were being surely pulled back into the decade where he'd danced and screwed and drank himself silly every night, rather than the present where that was less of an option.

Caroline had mandated a 'taking it slow' rule on their sex life. Only natural, seeing as she'd tumbled straight into bed with every boy she'd ever been involved with, and this was supposed to be different. It was supposed to _last._

Normally, Klaus' self control was spot on. Sex was just sex, and he could wait. Hell, he'd been waiting two years. But tonight, with Caroline's skirt twirling, the jazz playing, the champagne flowing. He was feeling... tested.

So they danced again.

And drank again.

And danced again.

Until practically all the guests had gone home, at which point he felt like his evening was rather complete. A birthday for the record books, to be sure. However, when it was just the two of them left, Caroline compelled the staff and the cleaners to go home instead of leaving them to their work and dragging him back to the elegant loft they'd rented for their stay in the city.

"Are we going to leave the place a wreck, then?" Klaus slurred a little. "Now you're getting the hang of the 20's, Caroline."

"No, you lush," she giggled, dragging a chair behind her and positioning it right in the middle of the dance floor. "I just didn't think you'd appreciate a crowd for this next part."

She pushed him down into the chair, and he stared up at her curiously. "Next part?"

"Your present." She grinned, backing up towards the small, empty stage.

He was instantly on alert, his eyes narrowing. This was... promising. Caroline grinned, leaning over the sound system for minute to get the music going again. She wobbled a bit in her heels as she climbed the steps, a sign that she was perhaps not more sober than him after all, but eventually she stood tall and composed. Ready.

No...

"I finally have an answer for you," she bit her lip mischievously as she started to slowly swing of her hips back and forth.

Klaus had to clear his throat before replying, "An answer?"

Caroline nodded, her shoulders rolling along to music now. "You asked me if I'd ever take off my clothes and dance in front of a crowd like those burlesque girls."

"You mean the hookers?"

She glared, but she didn't stop moving. "I'll let that one go because it's your birthday. But my answer is no. Absolutely never."

He tried not to let a crashing wave of disappointment crest over him. There was no way she would do this to him. Caroline couldn't possibly be that mean-spirited without provocation.

"Oh, don't look so grumpy," Caroline snickered, "I'd never strip down to few scraps of silk for total strangers. I just don't have it in me. But for one person?" Her hands trailed up her sides and into the air, "Someone I care about, who cares about me?" Those hands slowly came back down to twist through her hair as she rolled her head back in a slow circle. "Someone I plan on getting _very_ intimate with one day?"

He found himself breathing harder as those devilish hands of hers skated down her neck and across her breasts. The way her eyes slid shut at the contact, like maybe touching herself had felt nice, didn't help matters.

"I think I could take my clothes off and dance for him." Caroline finished.

When she turned to the side and reached for the zipper of her dress, Klaus actually swallowed a lump in his throat. She dragged the zipper down slowly, revealing something lacy beneath, as well as a thin sliver of bare skin.

Oh yes...

The dress hit the floor in a puddle, and then all he could see was Caroline. Caroline standing on the stage, dancing in a very small set of lingerie and high heels to the slow beat of 20's jazz. And... yes, those were garters. Klaus had to stop a self-satisfied grin from spreading across his face at the sight. Instead, He dragged a hand over his face and let his eyes rake over all that exposed skin, taking it in and cataloging this moment in his memory forever. He was suddenly, absurdly angry that he was drunk. If any moment of this slipped into the hazy recesses of his brain...

"Am I boring you?" Caroline called out from the stage, and he snapped his full focus back to her. She sank down to her hands and knees, crawling the short distance to the edge of the stage.

Klaus shifted around in his seat, "Bored... is the very last thing I am right now, sweetheart."

"Good," she slipped off the front of the stage and stalked towards him, keeping that knowing smile on her face. "I'd hate to think you weren't enjoying yourself."

She eyed his lap and the very obvious evidence of how much he was enjoying himself. He shifted again.

This was a bit of a dangerous game. Neither of them were exactly in the right state to be taking off clothes, being at least three bottles deep, but the jazz and the late hour and the mostly naked Caroline were all blurring those exceptionally patient boundary lines of his. So when she took his hands off his knees - where they were locked in a bit of a death grip - and placed them on the smooth skin of her bare hips... he let her.

She still swayed those hips, and she leaned forward to run her hands over his shoulders and his chest. She actually managed to work a few buttons loose, revealing some of his skin to her as well.

His hands wandered, up and down the outside of her thighs, across the tops of her stockings, and then up to the bare skin of her stomach. All new territory for him. All wonderfully displayed. Caroline surprised him yet again when she planted a leg on either side of his chair and sank down onto his lap.

He couldn't help but throw his head back and groan at the sudden contact. Then he groaned again when Caroline decided she apparently wasn't done dancing. The figure-eights her hips drew in circles against his were torture. Pure, bloody torture. So much that he barely even noticed her kissing his neck, or the way she reached behind her back to unhook the bra that served as the only barrier between his chest and hers.

His hands noticed, however, as they were currently roving up and down that newly bared back. He leaned down and bit carefully into her shoulder, nosing the strap of lace away so that it slid down her arm. The only thing holding the small bit of fabric in place now was the fact that their chests were plastered too tightly against one another to let it fall.

"Do you know what I heard about burlesque once?" Caroline breathed, and Klaus swore he'd never heard anything sexier than Caroline Forbes' voice heavy with desire.

"What?" his teeth skated up her neck, and he found himself contemplating if one day she'd ever let him bite her. His mind spun with possibilities.

Caroline sucked on his ear softly and his eyes rolled back in his head.

She whispered to him again, "That you have to carefully craft your show to give the audience just enough of you to be enticed," she leaned back and her bra slid down, down, down... "But never enough to satisfy what they really want."

Just as he leaned forward to push that pesky lace out of his way and replace it with his mouth, Caroline's smooth, tantalizing skin disappeared from in front of him. He blinked in confusion. What the...

He looked up and caught sight of her walking back towards the stage, hooking the clasp of her bra securely into place. She didn't even look back at him as she leaned over the stage and snatched her dress off the floor. When she started to pull it back on, however, Klaus let out an embarrassingly pathetic sound.

"Caroline..." he came so close to whining, "You wouldn't... You wouldn't do this to a man on his birthday."

"Oh, please," she scoffed, all hints of desire carefully locked away, "You've had like a gajillion birthdays, so don't play that card with me. Plus, I'm drunk as skunk right now. You really think it's a good idea for me to be half naked on top of you in a public venue?"

No. No he did not.

The first time he made love to Caroline, he wanted her in a bed, twisting in the sheets, with hours and hours at his disposal to make sure that he lived out every deplorable fantasy she'd ever dreamed up. Or at least every one they could manage before one or both of them passed out into blissful exhaustion. Not to mention he wanted them both painfully sober so that every nerve ending was properly electrified when they came together. An empty bar and a rickety chair did not serve his purposes well at all.

That didn't make the lust coursing through his veins or the impossible tightness of his pants any easier to bear though.

"I'll see you back at the loft once you've had time to..." Caroline glanced at his utterly disheveled state, "Settle down. So to speak."

Her heels tapped against the hardwood, and Klaus fought like hell not to chase after her and have her right there on the champagne soaked floor, beds be damned. He heard a slightly sarcastic _'happy birthday!'_ called out to him before the door swung shut, leaving him all alone.

Klaus couldn't decide for the life of him if this was the best or worst birthday he'd ever had.

* * *

**Caroline**

* * *

"Where is that head of yours, love?"

Klaus' voice pulled her out of deep thoughts, and she cracked an eye open. Hundreds and hundreds of pink cherry blossoms filled her line of sight, spanning everywhere and anywhere. In between the branches and flowers, blue sky peeked through occasionally to remind her that it was a beautiful day. Likely one of the last before winter set in. Caroline rolled to the side to face him. Warm green grass brushed against her cheek and tickled her nose, but it felt kind of nice in contrast to the chilly fall breeze.

"Just thinking," she smiled and stretched to kiss his lips.

This romantic little zen garden was on personal loan to Klaus from '_a friend_,' which probably meant some poor compelled soul, but Caroline couldn't be bothered to take much issue with it. All alone with Klaus - finally, finally, finally no more Original siblings - in Tokyo on a romantic getaway? Yes please.

He kissed her back, tangling a hand in her hair and running his fingers through it. When he pulled back, he made sure to rest his forehead snuggly against hers to keep them close. Who would have ever thought that the same man who could rip hearts out of his enemies' chests in a single pull would also be one of the world's most cuddliest boyfriends?

"Thinking about what, may I ask?"

Caroline grinned, "You may. I was thinking… that this kind of counts as our anniversary."

Klaus quirked an eyebrow in question. "And here I thought we were celebrating your birthday. Have I become one of those awful men who forgets his own anniversary so quickly?"

"No," she laughed with good-natured sigh, "But it just so happens that my birthday coincides with the first time we met."

"Does it?"

"Well, I don't count the night you nearly murdered half my friends as a proper introduction, so…" Caroline gave him a playful shove.

Klaus brought a finger to his chin, tapping it thoughtfully, "Hmmm, the first time we met… I'm sorry, I can't seem to remember that particular birthday. Must not have been all that memorable."

"Not funny," she shoved him harder this time.

"How did it go again?" He asked playfully. "You'll have to jog my memory."

"Let's see," Caroline rolled back over, returning her eyes to the sky above, "It started with me and Tyler making out in woods, I think. We were going pretty hot and heavy, teenage hormones flying, hands wandering everywhere. I mean honestly, this was a pretty R-rated hookup as far as- ow!"

A small pinch on her hip had her giggling and moving on.

"Like I said, in the woods… So _someone_ ordered my boyfriend to bite the crap out of my neck, which is bad news bears seeing as that pesky werewolf venom is so toxic. I remember having a pretty bizarre hallucination about blood-flavored cotton candy and my mom being a total bitch and refusing to buy me any. Then, who should walk into my bedroom but the one guy I did not _ever_ want to see there."

Klaus chuckled, "Finally we get to the good part."

"He blabbered on and on about something or other, honestly this guy could talk the ear off a brass monkey-" another pinch, "Really, you should hear yourself monologue sometime, it's actually pretty impressive-"

"All right, that's enough sass out of you." Klaus reached an arm around her to cover her mouth.

The result was a small but determined wrestling match that ended up with the two of them sprawled out on top of each other, panting and laughing from the ridiculous exertion. "Then what happened?" Klaus asked.

Caroline considered teasing him again, but that would only get her more grappling and grass stains.

A serious answer this time then.

"You swept in with your fancy promises about art and travel and music, and how I had eternity to see it all. And I thought… no one's ever told me how amazing and exciting being a vampire is before. That I could be happy and fulfilled instead of wrong and broken. No one ever told me that this thing that happened to me... it's a gift."

Klaus brushed her hair off her face, and leaned up to kiss her like he meant it. And she kissed him right back, thinking that _this_... this was the best part about her birthday.

She got to celebrate two births; the beginning of her life as a human and the beginning of her life as a vampire. Because it wasn't until that night that Klaus had given her the chance to really embrace what she was that she'd truly begun to live her new life as a vampire. Without all the shame and the guilt and the deceit. Pretending to want to be human; that had been the hardest part of her first year as a vampire. Because it seemed to come so naturally to everyone but her.

Well, her and Klaus.

He'd saved her life that night, and it had started anew. And that was kind of beautiful when you thought about it.

Klaus broke away from the kiss eventually, rolling her off of him and then offering her a hand up, "Speaking of gifts, we're running late."

"Late? For what?" she questioned, gesturing around to the empty garden. "I thought this was our day?"

"This was our afternoon," Klaus clarified, "You didn't think I'd let you off without an actual party, did you?"

Caroline grinned, taking his proffered hand. "You planned me a party."

"Yes, I did, and we're already half an hour late, so double time, if you please. Rebekah will be a nightmare as is, let's not give her more reason to be upset."

They walked arm in arm back to their not so little house on the waterfront. All three floors were already packed with guests, and Caroline spent most of the night catching up with old friends, being tossed back and forth between people she hadn't seen in years. Elena and the Salvatores stopped by, no doubt out of obligation, and Bonnie snuck a quick video chat in to wish her well. Klaus had also flown her mother out for the occasion, which made Caroline ecstatic. There were friends and acquaintances they'd made on their travels over the years, and of course, all three of Klaus' Original siblings.

Elijah presented her with a stunning Faberge egg that opened up into a music box. The tune it played was haunting and beautiful. Rebekah dragged her upstairs to see her entirely new closet full of clothes, complete with ball gowns, designer shoes, and quite a few outfits that flirted with scandal. Caroline braced herself when Kol handed her a small envelope, ready for its contents to be either disastrous or offensive. Instead, she was incredibly touched to find the deed to the little chateau in the South of France where she'd thrown his birthday party. He'd purchased it not long after their stay apparently, but he claimed it felt empty without her presence, so it now belonged to her. She tried not to tear up, lest her call her a weepy romantic.

It was only after all the guests had cleared out and they were alone that Klaus led her downstairs to what she'd always assumed was the basement.

"Time for my gift, I think," Klaus was practically vibrating with excitement, which made Caroline equal parts eager and wary. Klaus' gifts were often far too extravagant for her tastes, and she sometimes struggled to accept them.

"You didn't have to get me anything," she reminded him, "We had an amazing day together and that party was everything I could have ever asked for. You're in danger of outdoing yourself with anything else."

Klaus just continued to lead her downstairs. "Well, this gift might backfire in a big way, so keep in mind how perfectly content you are at this very moment."

Caroline narrowed her eyes at that, but followed him anyways. When they got to the bottom of the stairs, she was surprised to find it wasn't a basement at all. The bottom floor had been converted into a sort of lounge area, with a few bedrooms branching off on each side. It even had a small kitchen. The whole thing kind of reminded her of the dorms at Whitmore actually.

And that wasn't the only surprise.

There were ten kids of varying ages, from teens to 20-somethings, milling around this little secret lair. Some played video games, while others had their noses in books, and a few were eating dinner in the common area.

"What...?" Caroline couldn't stop the confusion in her voice.

These obviously weren't lingering party guests, since she didn't recognize a single one of them. And they absolutely hadn't been here when she'd woken up this morning. There were officially ten strangers just hanging out in her basement. That was a weird situation, right?

Klaus cleared his throat loudly, pulling their guests out of their respective activities. All ten of them jumped a little too eagerly to their feet, congregating in front of Klaus and Caroline like soldiers awaiting orders.

"Caroline, I'd like to introduce you to our new house guests," Klaus gestured to the group in front of them.

"Ummm," Caroline looked around the group and the back at Klaus, "Hi?"

Obviously realizing he needed to give her the run down, Klaus started explaining. "I know we've talked about feeding from the vein more often, and I know it's something you're not entirely comfortable with. So I've decided it might be time to change up the dynamic of that situation a little."

It was true.

Caroline had started feeding from the vein more and more, and she was feeling more conflicted about it than ever. She still had too much resistance to compelling total strangers to let her feed off of them. It seemed... wrong somehow. Taking their ability to consent away. But feeding from the vein was part of being a vampire and it was a _big_ part of how Klaus lived his life. To ask him to change without offering some adjustments herself was selfish. And it would be the end of them if they weren't careful.

So Caroline tried it.

And loved it.

Feeding off of humans, no matter how morally debatable, was heaven. Returning to blood bags after having the real deal was like drinking a slim fast after gorging on a steak dinner. It just couldn't compare.

But Caroline didn't see how adopting ten teenagers was going to help her existential crisis at all.

"This is Charlie," Klaus led her towards a rather rough looking kid, who immediately stuck out his hand to greet her. She shook it, and then looked to Klaus again. "He's American, like you. I picked him up in Chicago on our last visit. Charlie, why don't you tell Caroline about yourself?"

Charlie jumped in eagerly, ready to tell his story. "I guess I was what you'd call an 'at-risk' youth? Dropped out of high school when I was 15 to start... well, I always had a knack for math a you'd be surprised how many drug dealers don't understand the metric system all that well. Klaus bailed me out of my first stay in jail as an adult, which would have turned out... poorly. No more Juvi when you hit 18, you know? He's paying for me to get my GED and then college hopefully. I owe him pretty much everything."

Caroline glanced at Klaus with a bit of admiration mixed in with her confusion. It was not a typical Klaus move. Picking up a street kid and getting him out of his life of crime and violence.

"Klaus, what is this?"

"Now, now," Klaus held up a hand, "Don't think I've suddenly taken up altruism as a hobby. We both know what an ill fit that would be."

"I know what you guys are," Charlie continued, "And I want to be one too. A vampire. So in exchange for an education, a roof over my head, and turning me when I hit 23, I'm here to be your live in donor. And I'm more than happy to do it."

The pieces fell together pretty damn fast after that. Klaus led her down the line of similar cases - runaways, foster kids, abuse victims - all pretty much rescued from horrible situations and here of their own free will. Sasha from Ukraine, Jay from Essex, Marissa from Peru, the list went on and on. All of them wanted to be turned, it seemed, and after 5 years of service, if Klaus deemed them ready, that's what they would get. All while enjoying the incredible amenities he could provide. They seemed eager and happy, not compelled or manipulated.

They treated Klaus like their own personal savior, and Caroline supposed he was in a way.

When Klaus finally dismissed them back to their respective pastimes, Caroline turned towards him warily, "This is my present?"

"If you hate it, I'll send them all away and set them up nicely wherever they'd like." He promised, and she could see the nerves start to seep in. "But I know you want to feed from the vein, Caroline. It's who we are. Predators. But I also know that there's not one malicious bone in your body, and you can't stand to use humans like they're just walking blood bags. So I came up with a solution that would allow both sides to benefit."

Caroline looked around at the kids he'd accumulated, and she had to agree. They benefited a hell of a lot from their new setup, danger of being accidentally eaten not withstanding. So much so that Caroline felt like she could surely feed from them with little to no guilt. It was a beautiful gift.

Klaus carried on, still trying to sway her, "And perhaps with this new system, even I can... change a little. I can't promise that I won't make mistakes. Unlearning 1000 years of predatory behavior will be hard, but I'm willing to try if it means-"

She leaned up and pressed a finger to his lips, cutting him off. "This is one of the most..." she searched for the right words, "It's such a beautiful gesture, and it's absolutely amazing. You're taking something I've always struggled with and felt ashamed about, and you're turning it into something wonderful. Not to mention you're changing these kids lives, and I love it. I love my gift."

She reached up and pressed a kiss to his lips, and she felt him smile through it.

When Caroline pulled back though, it was with a serious expression. "This might turn out to be the perfect system for me. But if it's not perfect for you, then I'm not going to hold you to it. We're going to fight about this hundreds of times over the years, I know that, but I don't want to change you, Klaus. I hope you know that. If this is who you want to be, then I respect that, but please don't think the only way to keep me is to turn into some sort of contented house cat. Not a chance. Agreed?"

Klaus gave her a wolfish grin, and for second she could see the monster inside him practically purring at her.

"Agreed." He dragged her close - closer than was appropriate considering they still had an audience - and Caroline danced away back towards the stairs.

"Now," she walked away from him slowly, suggestively, "I think we'd better put that heated pool on the roof to good use, don't you?"

She was off like a bullet, and he right after her, eager to celebrate the last few hours of her birthday the way they knew best. Mind-blowing, toe-curling, scream your lungs out sex.

As he peeled the clothes off her on the roof, she couldn't help but wonder out loud, "Are they all going to travel around with us? Because I've always kind of wanted an entourage."

A quiet splash as he tossed her in the warm water was her only answer.

* * *

_All that changes is only everything_  
_When the right one comes along_

* * *

**Well that got ginormous and long, but there you have it! Four times Caroline celebrated the Originals' birthdays, and one time they celebrated hers! ****And yes, I bent the laws of nature to give Caroline cherry blossoms on her birthday. Screw logic.**

**This is a rather soft and idyllic version of Klaus - less murdering and psychosis and more snuggles and sexiness - but Melissa deserves some fluff on her birthday, doesn't she? Speaking of... I might have finished this early, and I also might have tackled one or two other little birthday ideas in my spare time. **

**So prepare for more gifts Melissa! It's a Melissa-palooza of Klaroline fic today!**


	25. Deleted Scene

**Title**: Deleted Scene

**Disclaimer**: Anything TVD or TO related belongs to the CW

_**A/N: So I've been going through my old Sinners Like Us stuff, and I stumbled on this deleted scene from the chapter where Caroline and Marcel are talking through the door of Klaus' bedroom (when he's locked her in there to keep her out of the final fight with Celeste). **_

_**It was agony cutting it because it was so integral to Caroline's realization that she could love Klaus one day, and it gave Marcel a lot of dimension that he was lacking, but it also really slowed down the momentum of the scene and the chapter as a whole. So it got scrapped. **__**But now I feel like sharing it with you all. Over a year later! I apologize for how abrupt it starts and stops, but like I said... it belongs in the middle of a scene.**_

* * *

/ / /

For all of his posturing and charm, it's been clear since day one that Marcel's feelings for Rebekah are real. Real and very deep if his devotion to the Original sister and her family are any indication. Caroline would have to be blind not to see the longing looks he'd exchanged with everyone's least favorite blonde, and that kind of devotion made even Stefan's lovesick adoration or Elena seem juvenile. Not for the first time, Caroline wonders what it would truly be like to love someone for centuries.

She had imagined it would be boring after a while. Predictable and complacent. But Marcel and Rebekah, for all of their obstacles, seem just as crazy about each other now as they probably were at the start. The only thing that seems to have changed much is the ridiculously perilous ends they would go to for each other.

Caroline finally finds the will to break their silence, "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"You really love her, right?" she sighs, gazing up at the ornate ceiling. "Rebekah?"

"Yeah," Marcel sighs right back, "I really do."

"How?" Caroline breathes out the word, terrified of the answer.

Marcel doesn't pretend to be confused, which she appreciates. Caroline has seen enough of him in the month she's been here to know that all things considered, they are very similar people. They both have a joy and a light inside of them that drew Klaus in from the start. A backbone of steel and loyalty running through their veins as sure as any blood.

The one thing that she recognizes in him the most, however, is the way he draws imaginary lines in the sand around himself. And the way he pretends they are uncrossable.

He rules over his vampires - or what is left of them - with an ironclad set of laws. Never kill another vampire. Never harm a child. Never betray your family.

They are shadows of morals he surely once had. Morals make the man, and Caroline feels sure - so sure - that the man Marcel is would struggle every day of his life to love a woman like Rebekah. A woman who cheats and betrays and murders as she pleases. A woman who could let cruelty and malice into her heart as easily as if she'd invited them there.

He would struggle. The same way that Caroline struggles with Klaus.

After a very deep breath, Marcel answers her. "It's easier than you think."

"I doubt that," she laughs.

There is nothing easy about loving a monster. There never could be.

"No," Marcel disagrees, "It is. You just... you can't understand it yet. You're still so human."

"I haven't been human in years," she argues back.

"You know that's not what I mean, Caroline." He answers. Marcel seems to be mulling over something for a minute, before he surprises her with a question, "If I asked you what your happiest memory was, what would your answer be?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Marcel wraps a knuckle against the door, scolding her. "Humor me. Think hard."

"Ummm," Caroline shifts around, wondering what the point of this is, "I don't know. I guess..."

She flits through all her different options. Dance recitals and achievement awards, first kisses and birthdays. After a moment of reflection, an image pops into her head, seemingly out of nowhere. It's vibrant and colorful, and she wonders how anything else could have ever compared.

She smiles softly as she recounts it out loud, "Christmas at my dad's cabin. I was ten maybe? Our whole family came with cousins and grandparents, and like six people I didn't even know. My dad and I cut down our own tree and decorated it and filled it up with everyone's presents. My mom actually baked cookies and sang along to our carols, and the whole house was warm and loud, and it smelled perfect. My parents didn't fight once all day, and I just remembering feeling so... safe."

She shakes her head and the vibrant image is gone, leaving her a little hollow.

"Sounds nice," Marcel responds before she can fire off some comment about getting overly sentimental. "Sounds happy."

"Yeah," Caroline says uncertainly, "What's it got to do with you and Rebekah though?"

Through the door, she can hear Marcel take a deep breath, "Your human life is still so close to you, Caroline. Right in front of you, where you can touch it. Even in your memories. But after a hundred years, two hundred, a thousand? It's all just... grey. Some of it stays clear, like your happiest memory. But the rest just sort of fades away. And when it fades you lose parts of yourself. Little pieces, you didn't even know were important. The kid who learned to skip stones on the lake, or the girl who laughs when she's nervous. As each little piece leaves, you get more and more terrified that one day, you'll wake up, and it will all just be... gone. And you'll be this person that you don't even recognize."

Caroline has stopped breathing to listen to him talk.

It all sounded... awful. The flip side to immortality that she never liked to think about. People and places fading away while you stayed the same. Stuck.

"And then," Marcel's voice finally brightens, "Someone comes along and they remind you. They pull as many of those little pieces as they can find back together, and you start to feel like maybe you're not lost anymore. Maybe that person you used to be really is still there, somewhere. And the idea of losing that... you'd kill anyone or anything that tried to take it from you. In a heartbeat. No question."

"Sounds kind of pathological," Caroline can't help but notice.

Marcel chuckles, "Yeah, I guess it does. But you'll feel it one day. I feel it with Rebekah, and Klaus feels it with you. Hell, I think even that crazy doppelganger chick felt it for Elijah." They both take a second to ponder on the insanity of that. "All I'm saying is, love isn't some pretty picture, where everyone is happy and healthy and good all the time. It's just the person who makes you feel like you're finally _you. _Like you're not so lost anymore. When you learn to accept that, well, the other stuff just isn't so hard. The how... it's not so hard."

Caroline tries to imagine feeling that way about Klaus, but it's like working out calculus in her head. Incomprehensible and too complicated to fixate on.

The idea that she does something like that for him though? Brings back everything good and familiar and warm? Everything safe? Well... it makes _her_ feel not so lost anymore.

And isn't that just a kick in the teeth?

\ \ \

* * *

**And there you have it! One of the only deleted scenes from Sinners Like Us! **


	26. Resolution

Title: Resolution

Disclaimer: Anything TVD or TO related belongs to the CW

_**Summary: We're back with a new puppy Caroline installment for those of you addicted to the fluff. I held onto drafts and bits of this piece forever, and I finally just sat down and cranked the rest of it out. Let it never be said that I break a (5 month old) promise!**_

* * *

_So, don't you worry, yo__u'll be my resolution,_  
_Characters of no illusion, y__ou'll be my resolution_

* * *

Assessing the chair was her first move.

It was nearly impossible to contain a hybrid, but it could be done. You needed steel chains, bolted to the floor. Lots of them. You needed a sturdy chair, also preferably bolted to the floor, and you needed lots and lots of wolfsbane and vervain.

If you got all of that right, then you could move on to the walls.

No sheetrock, no wood, absolutely no plaster. They had to be solid stone or metal. The door could have no handles or bars to provide leverage, and if you didn't have a double hinged lock on the outside, you might as well have not bothered with any of the rest.

Caroline ticked off the strengths and weaknesses of her prison this way for hours.

Wolfsbane and vervain? Check.

Steel chains? Check.

Double hinged locks? Check

Bolted to the floor? Check.

Damn those Salvatores.

"Don't struggle so much," Stefan suggested from his spot, sitting in the corner, "You'll feel less nauseous that way."

"You know what would really make me feel less nauseous?" Caroline slurred. "If you'd stop injecting me with your wolfsbane, vervain cocktail every 45 minutes."

Stefan actually chuckled. "Well, you've regained your sense of humor, so that probably means you're ready for another dose."

He got up to start preparing her next injection, and Caroline's eyes were drawn to the door next to him. It was double hinged, bolted into the stone walls, and reinforced from the outside. It seems the Salvatore Mansion had been upgraded since its original Antebellum days.

The hinges creaked, letting her know that someone was attempting to get in from the outside. The lack of screaming and pleading told her it wasn't Klaus come to save her.

Damon poked his head in, finding his little brother, "This is your hourly reminder to drug the Barbie doll."

"Already on it." Stefan held up the syringe he'd just filled with more vervain.

"What exactly do you two think you're going to achieve here?" Caroline asked dolefully. "I mean, points for effort, it's pretty impressive you managed to get me here in the first place, but what's next? You can't hold me hostage indefinitely."

"And why is that?" Damon asked, smirking like he already knew the answer.

And he did know that answer.

Caroline felt an even deeper sense of defeat seep into her bones. He knew that Klaus would come for her. He'd planned on it actually.

The two of them hadn't exactly been subtle with the new status of their relationship. It's not like they were making out in the grill - PDA wasn't really Klaus' thing - but it didn't take a genius to figure out they were sleeping together. Any hope Caroline had that these vampire brothers had only wanted to grab a hybrid - any hybrid - off the street for blackmail went out the proverbial window. They'd wanted her.

"I repeat," Caroline groaned, trying to pull at her chains again, "What's the plan if Klaus does come for me?"

"He'll come," Stefan approached her with the needle, and she struggled harder.

When his hand got too close, she lunged out, sinking her teeth into his wrist. He cried out in pain, snatching it back, and Damon's hand shot forward to slap her in the face. Pain exploded across her cheek and behind her right eye. Son of a bitch, that smarted.

She turned back to them both with a glare, licking the small bit of blood off her split lip. "Be grateful I didn't use my big girl teeth."

Stefan glared, marching forward and pushing the needle straight into her neck, flooding her system with a new wave of sedatives.

The grogginess that had been lifting off of her these past few minutes came back with a vengeance. It nearly knocked her right into unconsciousness. Caroline struggled to keep her eyes open.

She managed to lift her eyes to catch Stefan's, "He'll kill you, and no matter what you might think, I don't want that."

"I know," Stefan actually had the decency to look ashamed for a minute, "You're a good person, and in an ideal world, I'd find a way to release you and your friends from the sire bond, so you wouldn't have to be Klaus' pawns anymore. But we're out of time."

Caroline giggled at that, and she had to wonder if her sudden loopiness was due to the drugs or just the fact that she'd finally hit the twenty-four hour mark with no blood, which was traditionally when vampires started to go a little bonkers with the bloodlust.

"God, could you be more clueless?" Caroline asked.

"What's that mean?"

She rolled her head back on her shoulders - a gargantuan effort - and fought back a dry heave at the movement. "I'm not sired, you morons."

"Of course you are," Damon shot back, "All you mongrel whack jobs are."

"Vampires…" Caroline groaned. "If you're not murderous psychos, you're lazy boneheads. Nearly all of us have broken the sire bond to Klaus. We're here by choice, not force."

"What?" Stefan sounded shocked.

She focused her attention on him, since Damon seemed like he was about to explode with rage, "Klaus might have his flaws, but he's a born leader. An alpha. He provides structure and guidance; something these kids have never had a day in their life. And when he tries to be a decent person, he's actually not half bad at it."

"He's a monster, Caroline." Stefan growled.

"That would be easier on you, wouldn't it?" she chuckled darkly, "It's always easier to justify the things we do when the person on the other side of the board is a monster. So much easier to dehumanize someone when they're not human to begin with, right?"

Stefan's jaw clenched, a sure sign that her words had struck home, but he didn't respond.

"Ugh," Damon groaned, "I'd heard you were from California. Enough with the green peace crap, or I'll give you enough vervain to put you out for the rest of the day."

Caroline seethed, but she couldn't manage much more than a glare at this point. The druggy cocktail was making her queasy, and her little tirade had her nearly dipping into sleep territory.

"Damon-"

"This doesn't change a thing," Damon cut his brother off. "Come on, we need to get ready."

Thinking her too exhausted to put up a fight, both brothers left their little homegrown dungeon, bolting the door shut behind them. Through her haze, Caroline caught sight of something that had slipped her notice earlier. As Stefan and Damon walked away, she could actually see their feet on the other side of the door.

The damn thing didn't even come close to touching the floor.

It was a small gap, to be sure. Way too small for a person to even attempt to squeeze through. They'd be lucky if a shoulder could fit through the gap. But a puppy?

She was small enough. Right? Caroline's wolf form had managed smaller spaces than that, hadn't she?

As a wolf, slipping out of the chains binding her to the chair would be cake. But making the turn at all… well it took her full concentration on a good day. On a day where she was full of more wolfsbane than blood and hadn't fed in hours and hours? Could she even do it?

Taking a deep breath, Caroline began the nearly impossible process. She had to try.

* * *

Klaus was officially worried.

It wasn't out of the norm for Caroline to stay out all night. Now that her pack was back in town, she'd been known to stay out partying or running through the woods on all fours with them. So waking up to an empty bed was aggravating, but not surprising.

Even the missed pack meeting did not set him too far on edge.

Caroline usually handled all hybrid matters at his side, but she wasn't anal about it. She trusted him to deal with his pack fairly these days. And perhaps she was truly hung over, recovering with a bag of her favorite (toxic) potato chips, and a bit of the hair of the dog - so to speak.

It was dinner that finally set him off.

It marked a full day of no-Caroline, something he was not used to and found he didn't enjoy, and it was also so wildly out of character that he could ignore it no longer. Caroline did not miss dates with him. Much less dates where he agreed to order repulsive take out and watch ridiculous, romantic movies.

Factor in that she hadn't been answering her phone all day, and yes, Klaus was officially worried.

"I don't care about invading her privacy, Isaac," Klaus growled into his phone, "Knock down the bloody door if you have to."

Isaac's whining came back from the other end, "I'm telling you, her scent is at least a day old. She hasn't been here."

"Try anyways!" Klaus yelled, then tried to rein himself back in. "If her apartment turns up any clues, call me immediately."

He ended the call and took a deep, calming breath. He had every hybrid in town looking for her, and every hybrid in the tri-state area heading back to town for extra man-power. They'd find her. Or they'd die trying.

His phone rang, and he answered in a heartbeat, praying for good news.

"What did you find?"

"I'm calling about this lost dog poster I found in the quad," Damon's cocky voice came over the line. "Playful pup missing from loving home. Blonde, perky, tends to bite strangers. You know anything about that?"

Klaus felt the phone smash beneath his fist.

Salvatores…

He'd run the length of the town to the boarding house before he could even notice which direction he was heading. Normally, he'd concoct and perfect a rescue mission, maybe include a few hybrids in the scheme. But this was not normal.

The tight feeling in his chest and the ringing in his ears. The weight that seemed to be squeezing all the air out of his lungs.

It was not normal.

It was panic.

Klaus had not panicked in over a hundred years. He'd had nothing to panic over. But this… it was plain and pure panic racing through his veins and it would not do. Not one bit.

"Where is she?!"

He screamed the words before he'd even gotten halfway up the Salvatore's front drive. The front door swung open, but both brother stayed safely inside.

Damon had the gall to play dumb, "Which she? Elena, your doppelganger blood bag? Esther, your vindictive mommy? Rebekah, your psychotic sister? There are just so many women in your life to keep track of these days Klaus."

He was at the door in flash, standing just at the threshold that kept him out.

He was still close enough to be right in Damon's face though.

"I don't believe you've been invited in," Damon grinned at his not-so-clever triumph. "Maybe the answer is none of the above. Maybe you mean Caroline, your lady in the streets, animal in the sheets?"

That had Klaus lunging for the man, even though he knew it was pointless. The invisible barrier surrounding the private residence threw him back a few steps for even trying.

Damon chuckled, "I think we have a winner, brother."

Stefan stayed silent for the most part. That was always his way. He'd let everyone else get their hands dirty while he sat back and let it all happen. Standing idly by, then pretending to take the moral high ground because he hadn't actually lifted a finger of his own in violence.

On any other day, Klaus might have been able to appreciate the way Stefan wielded Damon like a weapon when it served his purposes.

But not today.

"So you've kidnapped Caroline to what? Force my hand? What will your demands be this time, Stefan?"

Klaus made sure to address the younger, silent brother in this situation. It was clear that Stefan's hand was the guiding force behind this, and it had the added benefit of incensing the elder Salvatore, who clearly enjoyed thinking of himself as the master manipulator in the family. Peons.

"We want you out of town and out of Elena's life." Stefan stepped forward finally. "You and your hybrids and your demented little family."

Klaus sighed, "We all want things, Stefan. I think there's a rather catchy song about it actually."

"Well, we plan to get what we want this time," Damon interjected, eager to be part of the negotiations again, "So let's talk departure dates. How's right now?"

Klaus pretended to consider it, "Or… I could murder Elena and make the both of you watch as she screamed for mercy?"

Stefan rolled his eyes, "That's not even a good bluff, Klaus. You'd never kill your precious doppelganger."

A few months ago, he would have been right.

But lately… Klaus felt the urge for a hybrid army dying a slow, quiet death. Enslaved minions were less appealing once you'd grown used to loyal followers, and it was a tedious process; finding new wolf packs, turning them, breaking their sire bonds. It would be far easier to work with regular wolves and vampires, now that he knew he was capable of rallying people to his side with something other than force and fear.

Caroline had taught him that.

And in the end, she was really the only hybrid he wanted anyways.

But that didn't mean these idiot ingrates were allowed to blackmail him.

"Who says it's a bluff at all?" He shot back. "If you don't release Caroline to me at once, I'll kill Elena the second she sets foot outside this house."

"All this over a ditzy piece of ass?" Damon scoffed.

Klaus let his fingers tighten, crunching the wood of the doorframe beneath his hands. He let the rage speak for itself. He'd kill for Caroline. He'd kill a great many people for her. The brothers locked eyes, shoulders sagging a little in defeat. They'd underestimated the power of their bargaining chip, a novice mistake.

But Stefan would not be dissuaded, "I guess it's a good thing we sent Elena off to parts unknown last night, then? Have fun tracking her down. It only took you… 500 years to find that last doppelganger after all."

Klaus fumed.

They'd thought further ahead than normal, which was annoying for him. He didn't feel like going on a cross country trek just to prove a point.

"I will find her, you can make sure of that," he threatened one last time.

"Go for it," Damon offered smugly, "If you're incredibly lucky, you might be able to track her down in just two or three days. But those are two or three days that I'll spend torturing the ever-loving hell out your little Caroline. And trust me, I'm good at what I do."

Klaus' eyes shot to Stefan, who was suddenly very interested in his shoes. Torture was not in his usual wheelhouse, but it seemed he'd stand idly by and let it happen if need be. Coward.

"Personally," Damon leaned forward, staying just out of reach, "I've found that there truly is more than one way to skin a cat. Or… wolf in this case."

And that was that.

Flashing over to the porch swing hanging beside him, Klaus had the suspension chain ripped out of the ceiling and in his hands in two seconds flat. Before Damon could even think about stepping back from his precarious position, Klaus snapped the chain like a whip until it was wrapped around the eldest Salvatore's neck. One good tug, and Damon came flying out of the safety of his house, right into Klaus' waiting arms.

"Now," Klaus tightened the chain around Damon's neck, keeping the man's arms pinned behind him, "What do you say to some renegotiating, Stefan?"

"Don't-" Damon choked out, but the suffocating force around his wind pipe stopped much further protest.

Stefan wavered.

Their plan had everything accounted for. Except the million and one ways Klaus was smarter, faster, and more diabolical than both of them combined. Honestly, did they think that in a thousand years of experience, he hadn't dealt with his fair share of hostage situations? Please.

"Let him go." Stefan ordered.

"No." Klaus responded. "Counter offer?"

Stefan, the poor boy, seemed lost. He wouldn't give Caroline and the advantage she presented up, especially when Damon seemed to be trying to mime some sort of "Don't you dare surrender" brother code through his restraints. But he also wouldn't let Klaus murder his brother right in front of him. Quite the conundrum.

Klaus took mercy on him. "I'll give you hint. Little Jeremy Gilbert has been doing a marvelous job of staying quiet upstairs, but I'm a vampire and he's a nose breather. So pretending he's not here was a poor chance to take. Public record states that Elena owns this house, which means Jeremy will do for an invitation. Invite me in right now, and I'll let the boy live."

"And Damon?" Stefan actually seemed to be considering it.

"I'm always open to groveling, but you're testing my good will by stalling. What do you suppose Elena will say when she finds out that you not only got _your_ brother killed - a man she loves quite possibly more than you - but also hers along with him? Time to make a decision, friend."

He wrenched Damon's arm to make his point, and Stefan caved. "Fine. Fine!"

Damon groaned in his arms, but he couldn't stop Stefan from calling out for Jeremy to come downstairs. An insurance policy, he supposed, to keep him inside the house. He couldn't kill Elena, but he could kill the next best thing. And it's not like he could threaten to burn the house down with them all inside this time. Not with Caroline in there.

It was a smart plan, just not smart enough.

"Come in."

Jeremy had barely spoken the words before he was out the back door like a shot, Stefan playing defense between them in case Klaus decided to come after him anyways. He didn't. He just pulled Damon inside, with Stefan watching him like a hawk the whole time.

Klaus rolled his eyes at his former friend's reticence, "Did you really see this playing out any other way, Stefan? You can't beat me. I wish you'd stop trying."

Two snaps later, and both Salvatores were taking a short trip to afterlife. He hoped they enjoyed their naps because it was the last peaceful moments either of them would have for a while, if Klaus had anything to say about it.

It didn't take a genius to figure out where they'd been keeping her.

The basement was the only place safe enough to contain her, what with the thick stone walls and lack of windows.

As he took the stairs two at a time, he called out to her, "Caroline!" He didn't get an answer, which he tried not to consider a bad thing.

The first door he tried was the wine cellar. Empty. The second was full of vervain, wolfsbane, and bagged blood. Also dreadfully empty.

"Caroline?!"

For a second there was only silence, but then a high pitched - and worryingly pained - howl rang out from further down the hall. He took off like a bullet. Another small yip was only just beginning by the time he found the door that locked his favorite hybrid away.

Underneath it, he could see tiny white paws scratching to get out. Then a small, dust covered nose peeked out too, followed by her scrunched up face and ears. The poor thing was trying to flatten herself like a snake to squeeze out from under the door. Klaus fought off the urge to chuckle. He'd seen her do it before. It was mind-boggling.

"Enough, enough," he crouched down to run a comforting hand over her head. "Go back, and I'll have you right out."

Caroline whined, huffing out her disappointment. She never did like playing the damsel.

Sure enough though, she squeezed back inside as requested. With a great tug, Klaus ripped the door off its reinforced hinges, taking some of the wall along with him. Stepping inside, he expected to find Caroline changed back already. Instead, he found a wobbly puppy, slaloming back and forth as she tried to make her way to him. Eventually, she gave up and crumpled to the floor, legs splayed out every which way as she panted with exertion.

Klaus understood the second he caught sight of the injections needles. Caroline, though drugged and probably delirious with hunger, had managed to expend the last bit of energy she had to change herself into the only form that could hope to escape. Every day he found himself pleasantly surprised by her tenacity.

"Easy, love." He hushed, reaching down to pick her up into his arms. She really was a tiny little thing. "I've got you."

He'd forever deny that he took a moment to breath the girl-turned-wolf in, snuggling the little ball of fur in his arms and letting the panic and fear and shame seep out of him. She was alive, and she was safe. Everything was right with the world again. The miserable little puppy snuffled and whined in his arms as he carried her back up the stairs, barely holding on to consciousness. She did make sure to lick at his hands to show her gratitude though, which Klaus tried not to find endearing.

When he stumbled back upon the temporarily deceased Salvatore brothers, he found he could not just leave them. The relief he'd felt wash over him at finding Caroline alive and - mostly - unharmed was very quickly taking a back seat to the bubbling rage that seemed ever present when he was crossed or challenged.

He'd said long ago that love was a vampire's greatest weakness, and he was right.

The... fondness he'd developed for Caroline these last few months had barely begun to bloom before it was used against him in the most despicable manner. He'd never give her up, neither his pride nor his heart would stand for that. But these imbeciles needed to be taught a lesson. They needed to be turned into a message for the rest of the supernatural community.

Touch a hair on the head of Klaus Mikaelson's loved ones, and you'd be paying for it with your life.

With great care, he set Caroline down on a chair in the living room, going so far as to press a kiss to her fuzzy little head. Her hazy, unfocused eyes looked back up at him with pure happiness.

It didn't take long to turn the nearest piece of furniture into a wooden stake, which he poised over Damon's still chest. Just as he was about to bring it down and end the bothersome Salvatore forever, a small yip called out to him.

He looked to his left.

An incensed puppy stood shakily on all fours, staring him down.

"Don't argue, Caroline," he called back, "They have to be punished for this."

She growled at him.

"Very intimidating," Klaus rolled his eyes.

He went back to the task at hand, raising the stake once more. And again, he was stopped, this time by a small thump. Looking over, he found Caroline on a heap on the floor, having fallen in her attempt to jump off the seat she'd been perched on.

"Sweetheart, you'll hurt yourself…"

She would not be put off though. Caroline slowly struggled her way over to the pair of fallen vampires and their hybrid executioner. Klaus indulged her, waiting to see how she'd make her final pathetic little stand.

When she finally managed to plop herself on top of Damon's chest, sitting directly on top of his heart, Klaus sighed. "Your distaste for murder is one of your most unattractive qualities, you know."

A small whine was his only answer.

"Well then," he finally lowered the stake, "What do you propose I do with them?"

If he hadn't seen it a thousand times before, he would have doubted the mischief he saw running rampant behind the wolf puppy's eyes.

* * *

Hours later, when the sun had long since set, Stefan woke to the sound of crumbling stone.

Taking stock of his surroundings, it didn't take long to deduce that he was no longer in his cushy boarding house. In fact, he was underground.

Damon, already awake and on his feet, pounded against the granite wall in front of him with every useless bit of might he had to his name. The cave shook and dirt even feel from the ceiling with the force of his attack, but in the end, nothing changed except they were both a bit dirtier for the effort.

"Finished?" Stefan cracked his neck once or twice to work out the kinks.

No matter how many times he died of a broken neck, it always tended to ache in surprising new ways.

"Welcome to our new home, brother." Damon wheezed out. "Payback is apparently a bitch. Literally."

In another fit of rage, Damon threw himself at the stone door blocking them in, and Stefan cringed to see him thrown back by a wall of magic.

"The tomb?"

"The tomb." Damon nodded, "It seems Klaus had it restored to its original 'vampire prison' factory settings."

He couldn't help but shake his head miserably, "So what, we're just stuck down here? That doesn't seem like Klaus' style."

"Ah," Damon handed over a piece of paper, "And the plot thickens."

Stefan had to squint to read in the low light, but the loopy handwriting came into focus eventually.

_Dear Salva-whores,_

_I hope you enjoy the next 5 years of your life, since they'll be spent down here. It could be shorter than that if Elena returns from her little trip and figures out where the two of you are, but let's be honest… She's not exactly the smartest cookie in the can. You might be waiting a while._

_Klaus wanted to kill you, but I thought a little quiet time to reflect on your poor decision making was the better course of action here. _

_At least you have each other, right?_

_Oh, and I left all four Twilight books down there with you, in case you get bored._

_Tootles._

_xoxo Caroline Forbes_

* * *

"You're a very sadistic woman, for someone so averse to violence, you know." Klaus whispered in her ear as their plane took off.

"I don't know what you mean." Caroline tried her best not to grin right back at him as she turned away from the window to face her hybrid companion. "Maybe I'll feel merciful and let them out in four years instead of five?"

Klaus just chuckled into her hair and pulled her closer.

"Maybe." Caroline repeated doubtfully.

* * *

_Turn around, put it down and see t__hat this is really the place to be._  
_I'm not you, nor you me, b__ut we're both moving steady_

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this latest foray into the world of hybrid puppy Caroline!


	27. Hello

Title: Hello

Disclaimer: Anything TVD or TO related belongs to the CW.

_**A/N: A Klaroline Gives Back drabble for cupcakemolotov that actually turned into a continuation of the first chapter of Long live called 'Shadows.'**_

_**She prompted Klaroline traveling the world together. FYI, Katherine is alive and well and still in character, so just ignore everything that happened in S5. **__**Also, I'd like everyone to know that I named this fic 'KGB Drabble' in my drafts, and had to fight the urge to make it a spy vs. spy AU all weekend. And yes... I named it after Adele's new song because I'm in love with it. Some weird bits of canon snuck in here, but most of them you can disregard.**_

**_PS - This got randomly fluffy, which pretty much never happens. It's a Klaroline Gives Back MIRACLE!_ **

* * *

_Hello, it's me, I was wondering i__f after all these years you'd like to meet to go over everything_  
_They say that time's supposed to heal you, b__ut I ain't done much healing_

* * *

Somewhere around her 90th birthday, Caroline began to get lonely.

Not lonely in the way that a teenage girl wishes she had a boyfriend who would hold her hand in the hallway, or lonely in the way that a middle-aged spinster resigns herself to buying cats to fill the empty hours. Caroline got lonely in the kind of bone deep way that a person who realizes she is facing down eternity alone starts to get cold from the inside out. In the kind of way that makes you long for a simple companion. Someone to fall asleep next to, someone to memorize all your quirks and habits. Someone who knew your history like the back of their hand because it was their history too.

Through all the boy-toys and sex-friends and epic romances in her life, there had only ever really been one man that fit that bill.

So Caroline decided it was about time she track down Klaus Mikaelson and finally let him show her the world. Or at least, let him show it to her again.

And that's where she hit a snag.

Because Klaus Mikaelson was not someone you could just look up in the phone book. From what she'd heard, he'd moved on from New Orleans decades ago, leaving that grimy little town to its grimy little problems, and good riddance. But that also meant that he was in the wind. Completely untraceable, as he'd always preferred to be. Old habits died hard, she guessed.

Sure, they'd had their little interlude in Shanghai all those years ago, but he'd been the one to find her, like always. Ever since then, it had almost seemed like Klaus had been... avoiding her. Which presented a problem, of course, since the world was a big place, and if an all-powerful vampire didn't want to be found, then it was nearly impossible to do so.

Her first stop was Stefan.

He and Rebekah were always on-again off-again, and where there was Rebekah, there was a scarily protective big brother, waiting somewhere in the wings, right? Wrong. Stefan hadn't spoken to Rebekah in years, and he had no interest in turning over that stone again. Some best friend he'd turned out to be.

Next was Tyler.

The bad blood between him and Klaus was dead and gone, but as the only two hybrids left in the world, she'd kind of hoped they'd kept track of each other over the years. Strike two. Explaining to Tyler _why exactly _she'd been looking for Klaus had been fun though.

And so after nearly a year of searching, Caroline finally sought out her last ditch effort.

"Aw, Carebear, I'm touched. You want to take a girls trip and reminisce about old times?"

Katherine smiled her vicious little smile, not even trying to hide her knowing glance as she took a sip of the wine Caroline had brought as a very clear bribe.

Visiting Katherine under the pretense of reconnecting with 'old friends' and putting to rest past grudges had probably been a little transparent, but she'd been banking on the part of Katherine that was just as painfully lonely as she was. Living a life on the run bred nothing but regret and solitude, so Caroline figured Katherine could use a friend. And in turn, Caroline could use her expertise.

After all, Katerina Petrova had been running from Klaus for centuries.

It stood to reason that the only way she avoided him so skillfully was because she had an ear to the ground regarding his whereabouts at all times. Staying as far from Niklaus Mikaelson as physically possible required you to know exactly where he was. Or at least guesstimate.

"I think calling it a girls trip is taking it a little far," Caroline took a sip from her own glass, "But you can call it whatever you want if you're actually that desperate for a female friend."

"Careful, Caroline," Katherine warned, "Or I might not say yes when you ask me for that favor you've been holding back."

She tried her best not to glare at the other woman. "Who says I want a favor?"

"Oh, please, there are only a few reasons you'd track me down," Katherine tried her best not to laugh. "As much as I'd love to show you how to walk on the wild side, I know you're not the type. And If you wanted to hit up spas and beach resorts, you'd reconnect with Elena or that Nora girl, not me. You picked little old Katherine for a reason, so let's hear it."

For a brief minute, Caroline considered keeping up the lie.

Admitting the real reason she'd approached Katherine would be humiliating and a little pathetic, and she had no doubt the vindictive little harpy would jump on the opportunity to tease her about it. But the vampire in front of her was centuries older and wiser, and she'd always been so far out of Caroline's league when it came to deception and duplicity.

So Caroline went with the truth instead, "I'm trying to track someone down, and I could use the help of a girl who knows her way around the supernatural underworld, that's all."

"Oh, intrigue," Katherine smiled deviously, "Who are we looking up? A witch? They like to hide behind cloaking spells and magical whatsits, but I know one or two tricks to get around those. Or a vampire? They tend to slip through your fingers unless you set the perfect kind of trap to corner them. Either way, you came to the right person. It's been forever since I've been on a good hunting trip."

"We're not _hunting_ anyone," Caroline warned her.

"Fine, fine, then what are we doing?"

That's where Caroline came up short. Time to bite the bullet. "I was actually hoping you could point me in Klaus' direction, that's all."

"Klaus?" Katherine went from delighted to deadly serious in once second flat. "Why are you looking for him? More importantly, why would I ever go looking for him with you?"

"That's not really any of your business."

Katherine glared. "The twenty-six ways he knows to skin the flesh from my body is absolutely my business, so if you really want my help..."

"Ew, fine," Caroline sighed. "It's for... personal reasons, and we'll leave it at that. Okay?"

The light-bulb moment didn't take long, and then Katherine looked positively wicked.

"Oh... naughty Caroline," Katherine grinned, "Did someone finally let the big bad wolf have a taste, and now she wants seconds?"

Leave it to Katherine to be crude and tasteless, even as she approached her 600th birthday. Caroline fought hard not to lash out at the older vampire. Not only could Katherine soundly kick her ass, she would absolutely refuse to help after she had a wine glass shard shoved into her neck. Still, she fantasized about it for longer than was probably healthy.

Clearing her throat in the hopes of restoring some propriety, Caroline stared Katherine down directly, "Let's make this more of a business arrangement. If you help me find Klaus, I'll be in your debt. Assuming my _personal matters_ get a good ending, I'll also have some pull with Klaus. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

She knew the moment Katherine caught on. Caroline could practically see the fantasy version of 'life not on the run from Klaus' flash behind the other girl's eyes. No more running, no more hiding. Maybe she could even make a real go at romance with Elijah, and maybe it could actually succeed this time? After all, nothing said 'I love you' like the blessed absence of manipulations and mind games in an effort to evade your psychotic brother.

"Fine," Katherine agreed quicker than she'd expected. "But first we finish this bottle. At least then I can have the excuse that I was drunk when I agreed to take on this suicide mission."

* * *

The first time they caught up with him, Caroline was sure her heart actually skipped a beat.

How long had it been since she'd seen him in person? Too long, if the catch in breath and the fluttering in her stomach was an indication. Caroline Forbes did not get butterflies. Not for nearly a century, at least.

"There," Katherine sighed heavily, "I give you one broody hybrid, in the broodiest of broods."

And she was right. Klaus did look particularly somber as he sat in a little Parisian cafe, sketching in the pad on his lap and drinking overpriced coffee. He also looked like perfection rolled up in a pair of jeans and a Henley, which was just so unfair. Caroline had spent hours debating what she should wear and how she should look and sound and laugh when they finally met again. He'd had no such time to prepare, and he still looked like heaven.

"Well, I'd rather put a few thousand miles between me and that sociopath as soon as possible, so since my job is done..." Katherine turned to walk away.

Caroline's hand snapped out to grab her wrist. She couldn't help it. It was practically a reflex.

"He does look... upset," Caroline murmured. "Maybe we should come back later?"

The other vampire easily pried her death grip off. "You've had me chasing this man for almost two years, and you want to 'try again later?' You're insane."

"No, I just..." she analyzed him quickly again. Maybe he was just concentrating? Maybe he'd welcome the distraction she provided? "You're right, I shouldn't put it off. That's crazy."

Caroline took one slow step across the street, then another.

Then she took a step back.

It had been over fifty years since she'd last seen Klaus. Fifty years since he'd sent shadows to tail her - for her own safety - against her will. Fifty years since she'd left him snoozing in a hotel room by himself. Fifty years since he's shown any indication that he wanted her in any sense of the word.

And maybe he no longer did?

Maybe she'd walk right up and he wouldn't even recognize her? Or worse, maybe he'd look at her with bizarre confusion and ask what the hell she wanted? Yes, that would be worse. Humiliating and worse.

"You know, I'm starving," Caroline turned on her heel and looped her arm through Katherine's, dragging the girl with her down the street, "And I know the cutest little fondue restaurant. It's only like fifteen miles from here. Let's go."

Katherine looked at her like she'd grown two heads, but otherwise didn't made a peep.

They spent the rest of the day shopping and eating and talking about anything other than the beautiful man Caroline had tracked down only to abandon before saying two words to him.

* * *

The next time they found Klaus, it was at a Halloween party in New York city.

In true, elegant Original fashion, he'd chosen to attend a masquerade gala instead of a seedy, show-as-much-skin-as-you-can bar crawl. Tuxedos and evening gowns were the dress code of the event, which bolstered Caroline's nerves a little. After all, she looked drop dead gorgeous. One might even say _ravishing_. A designer dress, perfectly styled hair, and champagne flowing by the bucket-load was a way better alternative than jeans, croissants, and a dreary street in Paris.

Yes, this time would be different.

"You're clutching that mask awfully tight, Carebear," Katherine teased her none too gently. "Nervous you'll be spotted?"

"The whole point is to be spotted," she argued back.

"Right..." Katherine rolled her eyes behind her own mask, before scanning the crowd one last time. "Six o'clock, charcoal grey suit, with a redhead biometrically fused to his arm."

Caroline's gaze snapped across the floor, and this time her heart didn't skip, it jumped straight into her throat. Perfect. "Okay, here we go."

"Have fun and use protection."

"Must you cheapen the moment?"

Katherine just pursed her lips together in an attempt not to say something even more catty, she could tell. Caroline stood up a little straighter, set her shoulders back, and prepared to make her elegant sashay across the dance floor to Klaus' side.

Any minute now.

Yep, watch her go.

"You realize you're not actually moving?" Katherine asked bluntly.

"Yes, thank you, I'm aware."

Another tense moment passed, and Caroline could still hear her own heartbeat thudding in her ears over the sound of the string quartet and whirling silk skirts. The redhead in question was beautiful, that's for sure, but her looks weren't intimidating to Caroline. Spend a century on this planet, and you realize that looks are nothing without a brain behind them. They're fleeting and useless, when it comes right down to it.

Instead, what had Caroline pausing was the way that even though the woman had a death grip on Klaus' arm, he wasn't even attempting to put distance between them. It was the way his hand had drifted in an almost continuous circuit in the past few minutes; from the woman's hip, up her arm, then down over her mostly bare back. Like he couldn't keep his hands off her. It was the way she leaned in to whisper in his ear and the way he cocked his head to hear her better. The way he chuckled at whatever she'd just said.

This was not sex or food or any of a vampire's normal tricks.

This was a date.

And Caroline was totally crashing.

Katherine knew what she was going to do a moment before she did. "Oh, no, Caroline. Not again. Please."

"I'm just feeling kind of sick all of the sudden."

"You're a vampire, you don't get sick," Katherine's voice was hard as nails.

"Seriously, I think those blood bags we had this morning were expired," Caroline backed away again. "Don't you think?"

Katherine made a grab for her but Caroline evaded. "No I don't think," Katherine growled. "Caroline, you will not make me track this man down again. I refuse."

She lunged, but Caroline was already gone. In a whirl of silk and tulle, she was up the stairs and out the door in an instant, vamping off to wherever Klaus Mikaelson was not having an intimate night out with a stunning and seductive lady friend.

* * *

And so it went on like that for longer than Caroline was proud of.

In Portugal, he looked too drunk to approach.

In Guatemala, he had Rebekah with him and she really didn't want to bother with the Original sister.

In Istanbul, he was in the middle of a meal, and it would be rude to let a perfectly good blonde go to waste.

Around and around and around they went, and each time Caroline found a perfectly perfect excuse to leave Klaus alone instead of seeking him out. Occasionally, she'd stay in his orbit for weeks at time, bolstering up her courage to make a move. Courage that never actually appeared.

She sometimes wondered if Klaus knew that she regularly stalked him only to chicken out at the last second. He never seemed to notice her, but that didn't mean she wasn't noticed. Caroline would have been completely mortified if that were the case, except for that fact that Klaus might be the only other person on the planet that would appreciate the subtle irony of her turning in to _his_ silent shadow after all these years.

Surprisingly, Katherine stayed along for the ride.

Through all the _maybes_ and _almosts_ and _not quites_, the doppelganger never left Caroline's side.

Maybe she was just that desperate for her freedom? Or maybe, like Caroline has suspected all along, she genuinely enjoyed the company of a friend after all these years.

* * *

They are sipping margaritas on a Caribbean beach when it happens.

"I'm going over there."

"Sure you are."

"No, seriously, I'm going to walk right up to him and say hello."

"Aww sweetie, that's the tequila talking," Katherine reached over to pat her gently on the arm, all the while tapping away at the phone she wouldn't tear her gaze from. "You've had too much sun, maybe we should go inside."

Caroline couldn't help wrinkle her nose at the obvious babying, even if she kind of deserved it. Even Katherine Pierce, the queen of denial, was able to realize that Caroline was a big fat fraidy-cat, who would never make good on her own happily ever after.

Klaus, in all his barely-there-beach-wear glory, lounged less than 100 yards away with Kol of all people. She had no doubt his cantankerous younger brother was the one who'd gotten him to drop everything and head to the beach in the first place, but it had provided an excuse for Caroline to purchase a few new swimsuits as well as spy on her _last love_ while he took a shirtless vacation. All in all, not a bad way to spend her week.

"Have you ever thought about what you'd say?" Katherine asked, putting down the phone, sincere for once. "I mean after the hello part?"

"Gee wilikers, Katherine, no I never once thought about that," Caroline replied sarcastically. "Of course I've thought about it. Ad nauseam. It's why I can never actually work up the courage to see him face to face. Because I have no idea what I'd say. Or if he'd even want to hear it."

"Well maybe I can help there," Katherine set her drink down and urged Caroline to face her. "I've been known to pull off a pretty poignant declaration of love once or twice myself. Hit me with what you've got."

Caroline frowned, "I'm not going to give him an epic declaration of love, Katherine. I barely know if I like the guy."

She went to turn back, but a firm hand from Katherine kept her in place. Caroline tried not to be bitter that Katherine had forced her to turn her back on the one good view this island had. That view being a gorgeous hybrid with a smile like sex and a mixture of sand and sun in his blonde hair. Girl talk was not a great alternative to Klaus-watching, that was for sure.

Still, Katherine wouldn't let up. "I'm serious. You've had half a decade to figure out what you want to say, so give me the gist and we'll go from there."

Caroline knew Katherine well enough by now to know that she could be like a dog with a bone sometimes. No matter how much she'd rather not go there, Katherine would persist until she was gushing her feelings for Klaus all over the place.

So Caroline thought back on all those times she'd come up with speeches and game plans and cute-meets that had never come to pass.

"I guess..." she sighed heavily, "I would want to say that I was sorry for how I treated him back in our Mystic Falls days. Don't get me wrong, he deserved most of the crap that we threw at him, but there's a certain kind of cruelty behind playing on someone's desire to be loved and accepted, and I did that without a second thought because I was young and stupid and I didn't know any better. So there's that. And next I'd probably want to stipulate that the whole 'eternal soul mates thing' is so not what I'm here for because I firmly believe that is a crock of shit. I'd probably throw in a thank you for that night in Shanghai because, dear lord, I have never had so many earth-shattering consecutive orgasms in my life, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't still have sex dreams about the way he used his-"

Katherine cleared her throat, and Caroline had to take a sip of her drink to collect herself before she got back on track.

"Anyways... besides all that stuff, I'd also want to tell him how right he was. There was a great big world waiting for me outside of that town where nothing ever happened, and I might never have had the courage to go see it if he hadn't lit a fire under my ass like he did," Caroline smiled stupidly to herself. "Actually, you know what, scratch that part about saying he was right because I know he'd just look at me with that frustrating, all-knowing grin of his, and that crap he said about me showing up at his door in a year or a century would just ring over and over in my head, and I'd probably end up smacking him."

When she finally managed to look at Katherine again - and prepared herself to face a dozen or so comments about sentimental vampires and over served beach barbies - she was surprised to find that the other girl wasn't even looking at her. Her eyes, and her self-satisfied grin, were trained on something just over Caroline's left shoulder.

"I _did_ hope that it would be closer to a year than a century when I made that bold declaration," a smooth voice said from behind her, "But I suppose beggars can't be choosers."

Caroline's eyes slid shut the second she heard Klaus' voice. And then they snapped right open again to glare at Katherine Pierce. That bitch.

"You..." Caroline seethed at her so-called friend.

She snuck a peek down at the phone Katherine had been so furiously typing on earlier. Come to think of it, Kol had been wired into his phone today too.

Katherine winced slightly, a mockery of guilt, "I couldn't watch you torture yourself anymore. It was getting sad, and I don't do sad."

Finally, when Caroline couldn't avoid it anymore, she turned to face the music. There, standing in front of her life he owned the damn sand he stood on, was Klaus. Looking just as charmed by her as the day they'd met. And wasn't that something? Sneaking a glance behind him, she spotted Kol, sipping champagne with one hand and saluting Katherine with the other. Figures those two would be in cahoots.

"Katerina," Klaus greeted her companion with steel in his voice and murder in his eyes. "You're looking remarkably alive for a woman who had her heart ripped out by heretics ninety years ago."

"Oops?" She tried to shrug nonchalantly, but Caroline could tell her nerves were hovering on a razor's edge. "Would it be trite to say that rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated?"

Klaus didn't laugh, but he did fight back a smirk. Caroline had always suspected that somewhere, very deep down, Klaus admired Katherine's fighting spirit. The will to survive against all odds when a madman was chasing after you was something she always thought he should have related to better.

He took one step forward and Katherine was gone in a flash. Klaus just chuckled, "Run while you can, Katerina."

"That conniving little..." Caroline seethed.

She found it almost easier to focus on her anger over Katherine's little trap

"Ah, the bitter sting of Katerina's betrayal at work again," Klaus took a seat on the end of her beach chair, and Caroline was embarrassed at the way her legs curled up away from him involuntarily. "Forgive the intrusion, love, but I was getting very impatient, waiting on you to finally make yourself known. I'd rather begun to doubt that you ever would, so I figured I'd put us both out of our misery and do it for you."

Caroline couldn't help but cringe, "You knew? The whole time?"

"Give me some credit, Caroline."

"I think I just gave you an entire sappy monologue worth of credit, actually," Caroline let a second wave of embarrassment wash over her at the realization that he'd likely heard the whole thing. "So I think your ego can survive this one."

Klaus laughed. A deep, satisfied, shoulder-shaking laugh, without a hint of teasing or irony behind it. "Oh, I'm happy to see you again, sweetheart."

And just like that, every nerve wracked, tension filled muscle in her body relaxed. He was happy to see her. Enormously so, if the smile that wouldn't leave his face was any indication, or the way his entire body seemed to be holding itself back from inching closer and closer to her. Klaus had missed her. Probably just as much as she'd missed him. And she'd been worried he might not even recognize her.

"I thought you might not want to see me again," Caroline murmured softly. "After last time..."

"Ah, last time," Klaus had the nerve to sigh dreamily and look up to the sky as if he were reminiscing. "That was certainly one for the history books. Glad to hear you remember it fondly too by the way.

Caroline glared for good measure, but she couldn't help but ask tentatively, "So you're not... angry? About the way I left things?"

"Caroline," Klaus leaned in to look her right in the eye, "It was hardly the first time I've woken up alone, and I doubt it will be the last. I'm not sure anything you could do would ever put me off you at this point. And I'm sorry you ever had reason to doubt it. We could have had this reunion years ago in Paris."

A gnawing sensation that felt a whole lot like regret started to spread through Caroline's stomach. Paris would have been so romantic. New York City would have been wild. They could have partied all night and made love all afternoon and painted the world red - literally and metaphorically, depending on their appetites - if she hadn't been such a damn coward.

She could actually feel her cheeks turning red with anger and embarrassment.

"Klaus... I-"

"I heard your speech already, darling," Klaus interrupted. "No need to go through it all again. You made your way here eventually, let's let that be enough for now."

Caroline saw the truth of it in his eyes. How truly unconcerned he was with all of _almosts _she'd let pass them by. And through the haze of regret, Caroline let herself realize that Klaus had done exactly as he'd promised all those years ago. He'd given her space and put the choice to be with him or not directly in her own hands. Even when it had likely killed him to watch her walk away again and again.

Leaning forward, Caroline let her fingers ghost over Klaus' cheek, enjoying the near electric spark that passed between them at their first touch in so many years. Just as she was letting them glide over his lips - and didn't the sudden surge of heat in his gaze just feel delightful? - an aggravated groan broke through their moment.

"Enough already," Kol's whiny voice cut through the tension, and Caroline saw he'd made the trek across the beach to interrupt them. "You two really know how to ruin a perfectly good vacation."

"Apologies, brother," Klaus stood back up and offered a hand to Caroline. "Won't you join us, sweetheart? I have the sneaking suspicion that your travelling companion has left you to fend for yourself."

Caroline eyed the extended hand in front her, doubting for minute whether she should take it, even after all these years.

Sensing her hesitation, Kol decided to sweeten the pot, "We have champagne..." he practically sang the words.

He held up a full flute of what she was sure was the most expensive bottle of bubbly on the island, as if to tease her out of her beach chair.

"Well," Caroline stood, reaching out and grabbing the champagne instead of Klaus' hand. He looked disappointed for minute, until she slid her other hand into his, "It is our thing, after all."

His smile could have lit up a carnival.

And wasn't it a treat to see Klaus like that? Contented and happy. Because of her.

* * *

_So hello from the other side, I must've called a thousand times _  
_To tell you I'm sorry, for everything that I've done, but when I call you never seem to be home_  
_Hello from the outside, at least I can say that I've tried _  
_To tell you I'm sorry, for breaking your heart, but it don't matter, it clearly doesn't tear you apart anymore_

* * *

**So that kind of turned into Katholine travels the world with a hint of Klaroline. ****Sorry about that. **

**There's just no telling what will happen when I start a drabble like this one. I also don't understand why people don't write more 'vampire at the beach' stories. I love the ridiculous irony of sunbathing vampires. And yeah, I'm assuming cell phones are still a thing 100 years from now.**


	28. All I Have to Do is Dream

**Title**: All I Have to Do is Dream

**Disclaimer**: Anyting regarding TO or TVD belongs to the CW.

**A/N: Melissa is the devil incarnate, and that's all I have to say on the matter.**

* * *

_When I want you in my arms_  
_When I want you and all your charms_  
_Whenever I want you_  
_All I have to do is dream_  
_Dream, dream, dream_

* * *

"What have you imbeciles done this time?"

It felt to Klaus like each week, the gang of Mystic idiots were finding new and impossible ways to make their lives harder than they should be.

Now that he'd given the cure to Silas, Klaus had officially checked out of the drama, and even still, these people couldn't stop dragging themselves into newer and muddier messes. Admittedly, the whole 'hell on earth' thing did sound like a pickle that the every day person would want to stop, but Klaus was not the every day person. He'd rather let the chips fall where they may than piss off the one creature on the planet who was stronger than him.

The brothers Salvatore and their band of merry misfits apparently did not share his apathy.

They were picking fights with Silas left and right.

Which normally would have been nothing to him, but they'd gone and dragged Caroline into it. The one person he wanted safe and whole in this world was helping to mess with the one person he couldn't best. Damn it all...

Klaus had tried to keep an eye on her, but one quick trip down to New Orleans had apparently been all the window Caroline needed to do serious damage to herself. Why else would Damon and Bonnie be at his door begging for help on her behalf?

"Will you help her, or not?" Bonnie demanded, no shortage of vitriol on her tongue.

Klaus rubbed at his brow, aggravated, "Well that depends. Why hasn't she asked me for help herself? She should know by know that using a proxy is much less persuasive than depending on her own wiles, where I'm concerned."

Bonnie's face fell, the picture of worry and devastation, which might have had Klaus seriously concerned. Except for the fact that where Bonnie looked panicked, Damon looked nearly gleeful. He pressed his lips together tightly, as if he were trying very hard no to smile or laugh. Odd.

"She kind of... can't ask for herself," Bonnie danced around the issue.

"Yeah," Damon's chin wobbled with suppressed laughter, "I guess you could say the cat's got her-"

"Don't you dare!" Bonnie interrupted. "You are the most insensitive, pathetic waste of space I have ever-"

"Children," Klaus cut them both off. "An explanation, if you please?"

After a moment's hesitation, Bonnie reached down and lifted up a small carrier he hadn't noticed sitting by her feet before. Through the tiny holes, he saw something furry and shivering balled up inside. Whatever it was gave a tiny _meow_ at the jostling of it claustrophobic little home. Klaus turned a questioning eye on the witch.

Bonnie sighed, "He turned Caroline into a friggin' cat, okay?"

Damon could hold in the laughter anymore, and he burst out laughing at his least favorite cheerleader's misfortune.

For his part, Klaus just stared at the carrier in shocked confusion. Taking a closer peek into the dark little box, he could see a small tabby cat - a kitten really - curled up in the back corner, shaking like death itself was coming after it. When his face got just close enough to the door, the kitten made a lunge, her tiny, clawed paw swiping out and him through the bars, accompanied by an angry hiss.

"She's understandably upset," Bonnie explained.

"What the bloody hell happened?" Klaus practically yelled, looking to them for answers.

"Silas is a twat, that's what happened," Damon explained. "Mind games suddenly aren't good enough for him, no. He has to go all wicked witch on blondie. Hey, at least he didn't turn you into a toad, Care."

An angry yowl was the only response from the carrier.

Klaus frowned, "And why on earth would he do this to Caroline?"

Bonnie and Damon shared a look. The kind of 'no you tell him' look that rankled Klaus' nerves. He was going to start breaking elbows in three, two, one...

"Well," Damon gave in just in time, "Caroline was still kinda pissed about Silas attacking her mom, and you know how she gets when her fire is up. After her fair share of mean-girl insults, she made a very well-landed but poorly-timed feline related insult, which apparently set the bastard off. Personally, I applaud his comedic sense of irony, while still hating the guy's guts."

Oh, Caroline. She'd called Silas a pussy and he'd turned her into a cat.

She had always been incapable of controlling her mouth in situations like these. Klaus knew better than most, having been on the receiving end of her tirades often enough. She certainly did know how to hit where it hurt, in the way that only teenage girls seemed to be able to do.

Bonnie was the one to refocus them, "So, can you help her?"

"I have a few grimoires that focus heavily on transfiguration and a few witches, on whom I can call," Klaus nodded, allowing them inside his home.

When they were safely ensconced in his study, Klaus made to open the little latch that held Caroline captive, but Bonnie and Damon practically tackled him before he could get a hand on it.

"Sorry," Bonnie let go of his arm as he glared at her, "She's just kind of hard to pin down once she's out."

* * *

Hard to pin down indeed.

They'd found a spell fairly quickly that could set Caroline back to normal, but the second they'd let her out of her cage, she'd bolted straight for the door. Klaus and Damon led a wild chase across the house to get her back, but kitten Caroline had apparently retained some of her vampiric capabilities. She was wicked fast and ten times smaller than any prey either of them was used to hunting.

When they finally had her cornered under Klaus' bed upstairs, the conundrum became not how to catch her, but how to keep her within the circle of runes Bonnie had created for the counter-curse. Even if they did wrangle her inside of it, they wouldn't be able to keep her there short of tying her down or knocking her out, and kitten torture didn't seem sit well with any of them.

"You'd think she'd want to get back to normal, after spending three days as a fur ball," Damon complained, sucking at a quickly healing scratch across his forearm.

"We don't even know if she understands what's going on, Damon," Bonnie scolded him. "She could be full on kitty brain right now. Imagine how terrified she is."

Bonnie looked properly sympathetic, but Caroline's other _friend_ looked like he couldn't care less about Caroline's mental state. As usual, Damon was only playing the hero because he thought it was what Elena needed from him.

"We simply need to get her to calm down and sit still," Klaus proposed.

Bonnie shook her head hopelessly. "She's been like a live wire since this happened. I'm not even sure she sleeps anymore."

"Not to mention any time someone gets close to her, she scratches the hell out of them," Damon moped.

"Well then, it seems as if we're in need of a different approach," Klaus stepped towards the bed again, first taking his shirt off and then undoing his belt buckle.

"Umm," Bonnie's panicked squeak came from behind him, "What the hell?"

Klaus explained as he continued to strip, "She's clearly terrified of humans. If we can't get through to her because she truly is all animal, then it stands to reason that another animal has a better shot at putting her at ease."

"You mean wolf-you?" Damon actually sounded a little worried for the first time all night. "Let's pretend for one second that's not the worst idea you've ever had. What's to stop you from chowing down on all of us the second you turn?"

"Faith, trust, and pixie dust?" Klaus offered, finally bare now. Bonnie averted her eyes, but Damon continued to stare him down. "Feel free to leave if you wish, but I'm not asking."

Taking a deep breath and bracing for the pain, Klaus began the terrible process of turning. It was back-breaking work - literally - but after a few awful minutes, Klaus found himself as a wolf for the third time in his life. He'd forgotten how exhilarating this was. Feeling his claws digging in beneath him, every single smell even more powerful than before. Every muscle in his body seemed coiled for power and attack in a way that his human form just couldn't compete with. _This_ was why he'd spent 1000 years breaking that terrible curse. So he could be who he truly was.

"How do we know he's not going to eat her?" Bonnie's slightly distorted voice carried over to him, breaking his trance. He always forgot how strangely surreal all of his senses became as a wolf. "I mean look at him. He's practically feral."

Klaus growled at her for good measure. Feral? He'd show her feral.

A small squeak from under the bed stopped him short. The goal here was to calm Caroline down, not traumatize her even further.

Creeping forward, Klaus poked his nose underneath the blanket hiding Caroline from him. Faster than he could catch, a paw swiped out at him and scratched his nose. He recoiled instantly, not able to keep from whimpering at the deep gash across snout. He was all nerve endings and sensitivity after going through the change, and that cut felt like the sting of a whip. He whined and pawed at the injury once or twice more hoping to soothe it.

Damon's laugh was like salt in the wound. "Looks like the big bad wolf is a big bad baby."

He growled again for good measure.

"Damon," Bonnie warned, "Don't taunt the bloodthirsty werewolf."

Taking a deep sniff, Klaus caught Caroline's scent. It was strangely similar to her human scent, only it was covered in the rustic smell of animal now that she was in this form. Underneath it all he could smell fear, helplessness, and confusion. Her little heart was pitter-pattering inside her chest at an alarming rate and had been for some time now. Animals didn't speak to each other with words, but rather with signals and gestures, and even in the presence of another animal, Caroline's were screaming one thing. _Stay away_. Whatever small scrap of human was left in Caroline, it was not in the driver's seat here. He'd have to break through the animal side of her first if he was ever going to get at the girl underneath.

Unfortunately that meant, Plan B.

Looping his powerful body around, he curled right at the edge of the bed-skirt and flicked his tail underneath the bed and then snapped it back out. Then again. Then a third time. On the fourth time a furry little kitten paw chased it before sneaking back to safety.

Caroline's instincts were getting the better of her, and there was nothing more instinctual for a kitten than to pounce.

Klaus did this at least ten more times before Caroline finally poked her head out from underneath the bed to lunge at his tail. She missed, obviously, but it was progress.

"Oh my god, this is so cute, I'm going to die," Bonnie whispered.

He wished she would.

Barely ten minutes later, Klaus had Caroline out from under the bed and chewing on his tail. Her sharp little fangs pinched him over and over, but he fought down the urge to bark or swat at her. This was succeeding, and he'd had worse than a kitten bite or two in his time. When he bent down to sniff at her - and give her the opportunity to sniff back - she froze up. He could see she was about to make another bolt for the bed, so he did the only thing that came to mind. He licked her right in the face.

Caroline's paws came up to bat at him, very luckily sans claws this time. A very clear _excuseeee youuuu_ if he'd ever seen one.

Some of the animalistic haze cleared from her blue eyes, and for the first time since she'd arrived in that damn cat carrier, he saw some of Caroline underneath this little ball of fur. Nothing like unwanted advances from an immortal hybrid to remind Caroline of who she really was, eh?

Almost as soon as it appeared, it was gone again, but she didn't run from him like he expected. Instead, she yawned big a wide, adorable little kitten fangs peeking out from underneath her lips.

Hadn't Bonnie said she hadn't slept in three days? Even for a vampire, that was exhausting.

Hoping she'd follow suit, Klaus curled up into a comfy ball and evened out his breathing in a mockery of sleep. Caroline took one look at the the safety of the dark recesses under the bed and then another at him. She made her decision easily. She padded around him, over his legs, across his back, down his stomach, and then she made the entire circuit two more times before settling down beside him. She rubbed the whole of her little body across his furry neck and chest for good measure, before finally curling up right next to his face. It didn't take long before she was a sleepy, purring mess.

Klaus lifted his head infinitesimally so as not to jostle her, peeking over at Bonnie and Damon on the other side of the room.

Damon looked disturbed, but Bonnie was practically shaking with how hard she was clearly fighting not to join the snuggle session. Women.

Hoping forward, Damon crept up and carefully peeled kitten Caroline away from Klaus' side, setting her inside the little spell circle Bonnie had created earlier. Caroline meowed sleepily, too tired to do much else, but Klaus could tell she was calling out to her new friend. He parked himself right outside the circle, laying his head down between his paws so he was as close as physically possible to her while keeping outside of the circle.

Bonnie whispered incantations, while Klaus listened to Caroline's sleepy sighs to ensure she wouldn't bolt.

Her little kitten face screwed up in pain suddenly, and then the candles were flaring and light was blinding him and strange smells were everywhere. When he finally cracked an eye open again, Caroline lay naked and human, curled up on the ground before him. She looked around the room with utter confusion and a little bit of fear. Damon helped her quickly into one of Klaus' shirts they'd had on hand as the haze finally seemed to clear.

The second Klaus saw the bloodlust rise up in her eyes, he was changing back faster than he knew possible.

Unless those morons had remembered that Caroline was still very much a vampire, she had likely been starved of blood during her three day stint as a feline, which would have made her ravenous.

She went straight for Bonnie.

Damon tackled her before she could sink her fangs into her friend, but Caroline was practically beyond reason, and she struggled hard. Harder than Damon was prepared to handle.

The second Klaus had opposable thumbs again, he made a grab for the glass on his bed stand and smashed the thing. He took the sharpest shard he could find and sliced a clean cut down his forearm, watching the blood ooze out of him before the skin knit back together.

Fresh blood, even vampire blood, was enough to draw Caroline's attention.

"Let her go, Damon," Klaus ordered sharply.

The Salvatore released his hold, and Caroline shot at Klaus like she'd been fired from a gun. She didn't even bother going for his bloody arm, she went straight for the neck. He caught her in his arms, holding onto her for dear life as she drank from him. He tried very hard - very, very, very hard - not to focus on the fact that she was wearing a paper thin t-shirt that barely covered what needed to be covered, and he was wearing... nothing.

This moment was definitely going to star in some of his dirtier bloodsharing fantasies from now on, that was for sure.

Damon threw him a blanket as Caroline continued to drink, and Klaus thankfully wrapped it around himself, while keeping one hand on the vulnerable vampire attached to his artery. Hopefully Caroline wouldn't be too offended by their spontaneous near-naked cuddling when she came back to herself.

And come back to herself she did, after she'd drained more than her fair share from him.

"Klaus?" Caroline's weak, confused voice spoke in his ear.

"Nice to see you on two feet again, love," He grinned.

She pulled away from his embrace for a moment, only to sway on her feet and nearly crumple to the floor. She was still exhausted, and rightly so. Caroline needed a steady diet of rest and blood and probably quite a bit of comfort food to get her through the next few days as she coped with what she'd gone through. He was a bit loopy himself, after losing all that blood.

Feeling rather protective, Klaus stooped to scoop her up in his arms before carrying her over to the bed.

"I think she needs-"

"She needs rest," Klaus cut Bonnie off and tucked Caroline beneath the sheets, content to watch her burrow further into them the same way she'd burrowed into him earlier. "And she'll get it here until she's able to stand again. Agreed?"

Bonnie and Damon exchanged doubtful looks, but Klaus _had_ been the one to solve their problem. On all fronts. They nodded silently and moved to leave Caroline in peace.

"Bon?" Caroline sleepily called out to her best friend.

The witch was at her side in an instant, bending down close. "Yeah Care?"

"Please tell me you got pictures of Klaus being a big hybrid puppy dog?"

"Pictures and video, Care," Bonnie reassured her with a laugh.

Caroline smiled as her eyes slid shut again. "Thanks, Bon."

They left the slumbering blonde vampire to her rest, and Klaus made a mental note to destroy the witch's phone at the earliest possible convenience.

* * *

_I need you so, that I could die_  
_I love you so and that is why_  
_Whenever I want you_  
_All I have to do is dream_  
_Dream, dream, dream, dream_

* * *

**Super fluffy and adorable, as requested. With Bamon added in for sassiness. **


	29. Orphan's Christmas

Title: Orphan's Christmas

Disclaimer: Anything TVD or TO related belongs to the CW.

_**A/N: A little AH Klaroline AU for the Christmas holiday. I've never been great at AH stuff, so please forgive any mischaracterization, especially on Klaus' part. It's hard to write him when he's not plotting to murder someone. I also just did a massive Gilmore Girls rewatch, so I inserted a Paris scene in here because it literally screamed Caroline Forbes.**_

_**Melissa prompted '**_**our christmas party turned into a tropical theme because the radiator is broken and it's hotter than hell in here - damn you look good without a shirt i never noticed before asgdhfjgkhl.'**

* * *

Klaus noted, not for the first time, that college campuses at Christmas were depressing as fuck.

Sure, the whole place was blanketed in untouched snow and twinkling lights from the end of the semester, but other than that is was a ghost town. Not a soul in sight.

Klaus was just starting to contemplate the various kinds of horror movies one could set on a campus like this, when he realized the building to his left had a light on. He wasn't the only student stranded at school for the holidays this year, and he had a pretty good idea of just who was occupying the tutor center on the Saturday before Christmas. Taking the steps three at a time, Klaus couldn't wipe the grin off his face when his suspicions turned out to be correct.

Taped to the tutor center's door was a sign that read: **_S.A.T TUTORING SIGN UP - CAROLINE FORBES' SIX WEEK EXCELLENCE PROGRAM._**

Peeking around the corner to look instead, he spotted the girl in question sitting behind her desk, sternly staring down the two visitors in front of her.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Holt, but I run the most intensive S.A.T prep program on the East Coast, and frankly, I don't think your daughter can hack it. I don't typically like to take on such weak, diffident cases," Caroline paused and turned towards the young, silent girl in the other chair. "Do you even know what diffident means?"

The girl shook her head and let out a squeaky, "No."

"That's okay," Caroline smiled sympathetically as if her point had been proven for her, "That kind of knowledge isn't really required in the retail doughnut distribution industry."

"Please?" The mother was practically begging at this point. "I swear, I'll pay extra for you to take her on. I just want her to get into a good college."

"Well," Caroline looked down at the papers in front of her, considering again, "She's got a C average, which means she's either lazy or stupid. I can work with either. Frankly, sometimes stupid is easier. I can _scare_ the stupid out of you, but the lazy runs deep. How about I take her on a trial basis, and we can go from there?"

The mother looked like she wanted to leap for joy, "Oh, thank you, Caroline! Dana will work so hard to be worth the investment, I promise!"

Caroline nodded and smiled in good humor, but Klaus couldn't help but notice that the girl she'd just agreed to tutor was looking at Caroline like her own personal grim reaper. No doubt she saw her social life dying a swift and violent death under the heel of Caroline's demanding study schedule.

"Goodness," Klaus cut in, finally making his presence known, "No rest for the wicked, I take it? Even on the holidays?"

All three women's gazes snapped across the room to him. From the mother he got annoyed disdain, probably at having her meeting interrupted. From the daughter he got a lusty once over, no doubt her teenage hormones being thrown into overdrive at the combination of an older, attractive, accented stranger within spitting distance. Caroline's reaction was the only one he was interested in though.

Her mouth pulled down in a frown, but her eyes lit right up. The kind of reaction that told him she wanted him to know how annoying she found him, and _didn't _want him to know that his annoyances were still the best part of her day.

Reading between the lines of Caroline Forbes was an art form he'd mastered of the last three years. A freshman orientation kegger had ended with the two of them naked in bed together, neither of them with much memory of how exactly they'd wound up there. He'd been willing to go another round and make a few better memories, but Caroline had bolted like a bat out of hell. From then on it had been avoidance and dismissal on her part, and teasing camaraderie on his.

They'd still found themselves in the same social circles more often than not - the disadvantage of a small, prestigious university - and so they'd settled into what Caroline called 'frenemy territory.' Whatever friendship they'd established over the years was a tentative one, held in place by sarcasm and forced interaction. Truth be told, Klaus looked forward to a screaming match with her more than most of his collegiate sexual escapades, which was certainly saying something. He had a sneaking suspicion that Caroline felt the same way, not that she'd ever own up to it.

"My next client is here," Caroline turned back to the duo in front of her, ushering them towards the door. "First session is Monday at 4:30 p.m. Please don't be late."

The mother and daughter excused themselves, and Klaus made sure to give the young girl a good wink on her way out.

She practically swooned, but Caroline sighed in irritation.

"Jail bait, Klaus," Caroline warned him.

"Just a bit of harmless flirting," he shot right back.

She rolled her eyes, even as she gathered up all her notes from her desk and fastened her winter coat as she prepared to leave. "There's nothing harmless about you. Never has been."

He fell into step beside her as she headed for the door, already enjoying this latest round of verbal sparring. "I do so admire watching you work though. That girl is more terrified of you than the devil himself, and the mother looked like she wanted to serve at your altar. How on earth do you do it?"

"Hard work and determination," Caroline offered, trying not to preen under his compliments. "Don't worry, Klaus. I'm sure you'll achieve one of them someday. Maybe."

Klaus frowned at the jab, "Harpy."

"Slacker," she glared.

The cold air hit the both of them hard as they exited the tutor center, and he noted how the chilly wind turned her fair complexion rosy almost immediately. Lovely. It really was truly unfair that she was so immune to his charms. Just his luck that the one time he'd been able to seduce her, he couldn't remember a damn second of it.

"Why are you still on campus?" he asked, keeping the tone friendly even as she tried to bolt away from him. "Aren't you supposed to be halfway to Virginia by now?"

Caroline's face fell. "I was supposed to leave this afternoon, but then Dana's mother called and asked for a last minute meeting. Signing her meant getting my prep course established in one of the most respected private high schools in the state. I couldn't say no. Now this snow storm is going to make sure that I'm stuck here until New Years. No family Christmas for me."

"That's fantastic," Klaus couldn't help the way his spirits lifted, until he saw her angry expression. "I mean awful. It's just fantastic luck for me, since I happen to be here for the holidays as well. Speaking of which, I have an invitation for you."

"Invitation?" Caroline looked over at him dubiously. "Pass."

Klaus chuckled, handing her the slip of paper he'd been hiding in his pocket anyway. "Come on, sweetheart, give it a chance? Nothing says an orphan's Christmas like a luau."

"First of all, neither of us are orphans. I'm extremely motivated, and you're afraid to face your daddy issues. Second of all, a luau? In December? When it's 19 degrees on a good day?"

"I'll let the daddy issues comment slide because I'm in a good mood," Klaus grumbled.

He knew he was going to regret that night he'd gotten drunk enough to start spouting truths. Drunken confessions had never really been his style, but at least he'd pulled a few out of Caroline too before they'd both passed out in Enzo's living room. A fact that their mutual friend seemed incapable of forgetting.

"The crack campus staff tells me that they won't be able to fix my radiator until the new semester," Klaus carried on, "Which means my room will be a balmy tropical island until the new year. Hence, a Christmas Eve beach party with a few friends who are stuck here like you and me."

"Leave it to you to get girls half-naked in the dead of winter," Caroline tried and failed to hide a smile.

They'd reached Caroline's dorm, which meant Klaus need to reach the point. "So, you'll come?"

Caroline narrowed her eyes, skeptically, "I think I'll have to miss it."

"Enzo will be there," Klaus lobbed his final pass and saw her hesitate. Hook, line, and sinker. "And seeing as he _actually_ _is _a certifiable orphan, I figured the least I could do was make sure one of the best friends you or I will ever have isn't alone on the one day of the year when everyone else is surrounded by a loving family-"

"Klaus..."

"A warm fire-"

"Klaus."

"Perhaps an adorable dog named Champ-"

"All right already!" Caroline screamed in frustration. "Be there or be a horrible friend, I get it. What should I bring?"

Klaus grinned, backing away now that he'd gotten his answer. Better not to give her too much time to change her mind, "Just yourself. And maybe that recipe for screwdriver daiquris you made last summer!"

"Yeah, yeah," Caroline waved him off, finally entering her building.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Caroline!" he called after her, not even attempting to keep the victory out of his voice.

* * *

It was hot.

Oppressively hot.

Unspeakably hot.

And that was before she'd run into the host of this little party.

The second she'd walked in the door, Caroline had been accosted by a drunken Enzo, who had clearly been mixing daquiris with egg nog. She did not envy his hangover tomorrow. He'd introduced her to Nadia, an exchange student with insufficient funds to return to Bulgaria for the holiday, and no family to greet her even if she did. Then came Matt, whose mother couldn't be bothered to even call him on Christmas. Mary Louise and Nora had both been excommunicated from their families for the crime of liking boobs. Jessie was a foster kid, April's family had died in a fire, and a twitchy looking girl named Hayley spent most of her time in the corner, huffing and puffing about something or other. On and on, Caroline was introduced to the rag-tag band of students Klaus had pulled together for this little holiday on campus, before she finally made her way to the kitchen for a drink.

"Caroline," Klaus immediately handed her a cup of something that smelled like rum and tequila and maybe a little gin. "You came."

"I said I would," Caroline took a gulp from the cup anyways.

"Glad to see you dressed for the occasion," Klaus didn't even bother to hide his blatant once over of her attire.

Trudging through the wind and snow in a cut-out swimsuit and wrap had been particularly brutal, and only her heavy coat and boots had made it tolerable. Caroline had fully expected to freeze her ass off for the remainder of the night until she stepped foot in Klaus' on campus apartment. She'd worn a fashionable one piece, but a one piece nonetheless, but as soon as she'd arrived, she'd wondered if that had been unwise. The winter wear had quickly come off when she realized that the room would not be getting below 80 degrees all night. It really was hotter than the tropics in here.

Which was probably why Klaus had chosen to forgo a shirt, dressing only in swim trunks and his signature necklaces for the night. Caroline let her eyes wander over the far too sexy combination for a brief moment. She'd let him look, after all.

Klaus wasn't what you'd call All-American, and it had nothing to do with the accent. He had fair skin, like her, and his muscles were more easily described as defined-lankiness than body-built jock. Still, Caroline couldn't stop herself from noticing that he had one of those absolutely delectable v-shapes low on his hips, hitting his swim trunks in exactly the right place. She also was surprised to find a tattoo spread across his left shoulder that hadn't been there the last time she'd seen him shirtless. The last time had been 3 years ago in a drunken and delirious roll in the dark, but details.

Caroline swallowed a little too sharply and let out a breathless pant. That damn broken radiator was overheating her. For sure.

She realized too late that she'd let her moment of ogling go on too long. Klaus' dimples were peeking out from behind his proud smirk as he watched her watch him.

Dammit.

Caroline refocused, "Let it never be said that I'd ever disregard the theme of a party. Even one as lazily thrown together as this."

"Lazy?" Klaus huffed, "You try hanging decorations in this heat. It's hell. Literally."

"That's fair, I guess."

Caroline had to give him that. Even her party planning expertise would have been wasted in an apartment that passed for Mordor.

Klaus actually took a step back, "As I live and breath, did Caroline Forbes just agree with me?"

"Everyone gets one Christmas miracle," she smiled and downed the last of her drink. "Make yours count."

"I plan to," Klaus stared back at her more seriously than her little barb should have allowed.

Another wave of heat passed over her. Freaking hell.

* * *

The problem with partying in a such a cramped, heated space was that you felt the need to drink twice as much to keep yourself cool and hydrated. Caroline therefore spent most of her night making sure that her fellow party-goers didn't fall out the window, go for a naked lap in the snow, or commit indecent sex acts on a blow-up hula girl Klaus had propped in the corner.

When Enzo and his merry band of misfits were all passed out or headed home, Caroline figured it was time to leave.

"Would you like to borrow some clothes, love?" Klaus asked, leaning against his door as she prepared to head out. "It's dropped another ten degrees since you got here. You might lose a few toes if you go out there like that."

Caroline considered for a minute, "I wouldn't say no to some pants?"

Klaus smiled and led her into his room, away from what was left of the party. While he rooted around in his drawers for something acceptable for her, Caroline let her eyes wander around Klaus' inner sanctum. They might have been friends, but this was the first time she'd had occasion to be in his bedroom since _the incident_.

Her eyes fell on the bed, and she couldn't help but chuckle, "Seriously, Klaus? You still have the Batman sheets? It was dorky at 18, but now it's just kind of weird."

"Batman is a hero and a martyr, thank you very much," Klaus sniped back, "And you're breaking the golden rule."

"Treat others the way you want to be treated?" Caroline offered up. "You can mock my bedding all you want, Klaus, yours is still dorkier."

"No," Klaus sidled up close, handing her a pair of sweatpants that would only half-swallow her. "Our golden rule. Never to mention the time you spent the night in said Batman sheets. Remember?"

Caroline frowned, realizing she had kind of broken their rule. None of their friends knew about her and Klaus' one night stand way back when, and she'd made it perfectly clear through pointed glares and one or two smashed toes that she didn't want him clueing any of them in. And for the most part, Klaus had played along. Until now, but she only had herself to blame for that.

"Well," Caroline took the sweatpants from him slowly, "It's more of an unspoken agreement than an actual rule."

Klaus laughed, "An important distinction. Since Caroline Forbes never breaks rules."

"I break rules," she huffed angrily.

"Ha!" Klaus barked out a laugh, "When have you ever broken a rule?"

"All the time," Caroline argued back, frantically searching her memory for an example.

The problem was, it was kind of true. Caroline valued order and control, two things that were impossible to keep if you didn't respect the rules that came along with them. How was she supposed to keep her minions or staffers or students in line if she didn't fall in line herself? Really...

"Aha!" Caroline finally alighted on something. "I made a personal copy of the tutor center key, so I can get in and out whenever I want. Totally against the rules."

"Wow," Klaus bit back a mocking grin, "You showed me. What a rebel."

Caroline couldn't believe the mockery in his tone. "That's breaking an entering. I could get arrested for that!"

"Oh please, you _break in _to the tutor center every week to help kids get into college. Quick, someone get the national guard on the phone!"

His sarcastic tone only served to rile her up further. How did he always do this? How could Klaus push her to the point of wanting to pull her own hair out to prove him wrong? Someone should study this dynamic of theirs for an anger management class or something.

"Well I broke my number one relationship rule the night I met you!" she finally spat at him.

"How so?"

Caroline huffed, give his bare chest a push. "I have a strict 'no one night stands' policy, which I broke three years ago, when I met you. There, rule broken."

Klaus raised one eyebrow, "There you go again, mentioning it."

"Yeah, well, I can mention it if I want to. I'm the one that actually remembers it."

That gave Klaus pause. "What do you mean you remember? You said you blacked out."

Caroline looked down at her feet, clamming up instantly. Son of a bitch, she should have learned by now that she had a tendency to stick her foot in her mouth when she was angry.

"I did. We both did."

She tried to make a hasty break for the door. This conversation had taken a turn for the dangerous long ago, and she needed to get the hell out dodge. Now.

"No, no, no" Klaus made a grab for her as she tried to bolt, "You're not getting off that easy. Do you remember that night, Caroline?"

"Klaus-"

"Caroline."

She groaned, "Fine, yes. Whatever, I remember. It's no big deal."

"So why lie for last three years? Why did you say it was all a blank?" Klaus asked desperately.

"Because you did!" Caroline shouted back. "You woke up and had no freaking clue what had happened! My first one night stand _ever_ gives me the best sex of my life and then doesn't even remember my name the next morning? Come on! Of course I said I blacked out."

Klaus' face fell, and Caroline couldn't stand the way he looked at her. Like a kicked puppy. "Caroline..."

"Nope," Caroline backed away, "None of that pity-me crap, it was forever ago, and we should just go right back to pretending it never happened. In fact, let's pretend this never happened either. It can be our thing."

Her next attempt to make it to the door ended up with her cornered, caught between Klaus' desk and his very smooth bare skin. The books pens behind her rattled with the force of her impact, and Caroline tried her best not to gasp at the manhandling. There was no way Klaus could remember she liked it a little rough, after all, and it's not like she was going to remind him.

His eyes caught hers when she looked up to glare at him, and any hint of joking or teasing was gone, "That's the reason behind all the vitriol and mean-girl behavior all these years? Because you were angry that I didn't remember?"

She actually felt a little ashamed of that, "I didn't mean to be so... I just kind of figured I wasn't very memorable. And that sucked."

"Oh, Caroline," Klaus leaned to press his forehead against her, and it actually made her feel better. This small show of affection. "Do you know how many times I've tried to force my alcohol soaked brain to come up with even a scrap of a memory about that night? How you moved? How you sounded? What you taste like?"

Okay, it was officially not the busted heater that was making things hot right now.

Caroline felt suddenly very aware of every inch of his body pressed against hers, and how little clothing they were both actually wearing.

"Tell me," Klaus breathed into her hair.

"Tell you what?" Caroline squirmed against him and then quickly thought better of it.

"Tell me about that night," Klaus' voice had gotten deeper, and his hands had begun to wander.

Caroline breathed a little heavier when she felt his bare palms against her hips, and she actually had the errant thought that she wished she'd worn a slinkier suit so she could feel his stomach pressed against hers. Damn her libido for that one.

Her next reply came out a little too breathless for her liking, "In your dreams."

"Oh, every night," Klaus actually agreed with her before bending down to run his lips across her neck and up to her ear, "But I think it's only fair that you recount exactly how I gave you the best sex of your life."

"Well, that didn't take long," Caroline rolled her eyes, but she didn't push him away.

"I'm serious, Caroline." His grip on her tightened and Caroline felt herself being set easily on the desk behind her. She was alarmed at how hard it was to keep her legs from wrapping around the hips now pressing insistently into hers. "Tell me everything. How I touched you," his fingers skated up the insides of her thighs, "What names I called you," another nip on her neck that would surely leave a mark, "How exactly you rode me."

Caroline couldn't help but whimper, "Who says I was on top?"

"Please," Klaus chuckled, but this time it sounded decidedly sinful. "You love being in control. And I love letting you control me."

Shit. There went the last shred of her self-control.

Caroline sunk her hands in his hair the same instant she pressed her lips to his. She didn't even realize her legs were around his hips, pulling him against her in a grinding motion until the small bursts of pleasure between her legs made themselves known.

The first thing she noticed was that Klaus' kisses were different. She hadn't realized just how drunk he'd been that night, but apparently it made all the difference. His lips on hers were calculating and euphoric. Perfectly timed with each stroke and caress of his fingers in her hair and on her skin. Absently, she realized that she was in for a hell of night, if the amazing performance he'd given her back then hadn't even been his A game. She'd be lucky if she could walk tomorrow.

"Oh!" Caroline broke their kiss as she threw her head back.

Klaus had snuck a hand between their rutting hips to slide beneath her suit, and even the slightest brush of his fingers against her had her keening.

"As much as I love your themed party wear, I think it's served its purpose. Let me look at you?" Klaus whispered, begging.

She could only nod. Naked sounded like a wonderful thing to be now. She felt him pulling at the neck of her suit, then at the back, searching for a string. He huffed, not finding either. A few more pointless tugs, and he actually began to growl in frustration. Caroline couldn't help it. She laughed.

"Show me how to take this bloody thing off, Caroline," Klaus begged, looking at her rather complicated one piece in annoyance.

Slowly, she reached behind her and unhooked the hidden clasp at her neck. From there, she peeled the suit down, down, down, pleased to see Klaus watching in anticipation. She'd barley gotten it to her hips before Klaus dove forward, capturing one pebbled nipple in his mouth. He pulled the rest of the fabric off of her while he used his teeth on her, and Caroline only felt a little embarrassed at the noises she made. The partyers passed out in the living room had better be _really _passed out.

For her part, Caroline only had to give Klaus' swim trunks one good push, and they were off.

This time there was no drunken fumbling. No elbows or knee bumps, no sloppy kisses or hazy eyes. When Klaus sunk inside her, it was with deliberate and steady determination to make her feel every inch of him. When he rocked against her, it was heaven. And when he finally found the angle that had her crying out for him, it was with a triumphant smile on his lips. His slow and steady pace soon became torturous, and Caroline bit into his shoulder to keep from screaming at him for more.

Klaus hissed at her bite, and he lost his careful rhythm for a moment. Seems he liked it a little rough too.

"Harder," she ordered, making sure to use whatever leverage she could to make his next thrust go as deep as possible.

Klaus groaned, a needy, lustful sound. His pace picked up.

Not enough. No even close.

"I said," Caroline pulled him back by his hair, "Harder."

"Fuck," he gasped out, and his voice actually broke. "Hold on to something."

She grabbed the edge of the desk just in time.

His hips snapped forward at a harsh and punishing pace, and his thrusts actually rocked the desk beneath her. Caroline gasped and panted in time with the creaking wood beneath her, loving the sound of the books rattling off their shelves and papers fluttering to the floor. This part she remembered. This undefinable something that was lurking behind every snapped insult and teasing barb they'd thrown back and forth at each other over the years. Raw and unbridled passion.

She needed more. She couldn't take anymore. She'd kill him if he stopped._ Yes, yes, yes, yes!_

Caroline couldn't be sure if that last part had been out loud or in her head, but she couldn't care too much since she was currently experiencing one of the best orgasms of her life. Through the haze, she saw Klaus watching her, still moving with passion and purpose, totally and completely taking her in. Like he was trying to memorize the feel and look and smell of her as she fell apart around him.

Klaus' climax nearly gave her another of her own, as his thrusts became fierce and less controlled. He called out her name when he finished, and something behind her broke with the force of his final thrust. Whoops.

When they were both panting messes, half sprawled on the desk, half falling on the floor, Caroline finally found the strength to disentangle herself from him.

She immediately crashed right into the bed.

Damn. She'd been right about the not being able to walk part.

Klaus was right next to her in an instant, pulling her down onto the bed and under his beloved Batman sheets. Caroline would never admit it, but they were just as comfortable as she remembered.

Her eyes had just sunk shut, ready for a long night of contented sleep, when she felt kisses being peppered across her chest and down her stomach. She lifted the sheet to find Klaus making his way down, and she knew exactly where he was headed.

"Seriously?" she giggled. "After a round like that, you're ready for more?"

"I've spent the better part of my years pursuing higher education wondering exactly how you tasted, love," Klaus grinned up at her, mischief in his eyes. "Or whether I'd even managed to get my tongue on you before."

"Mmm," Caroline sighed as set to work, "You did."

"Well, this time, I don't plan to forget a single second."

* * *

**Son of a bitch, this was supposed to be adorable, how did it turn into smut? **

**Merry Christmas Klaronerds. And happy holidays! **


	30. Satisfied

Title: Satisfied

Disclaimer: Everything TO and TVD related belongs to the CW.

_**A/N: As always, this started with a prompt from Melissa. The seven deadly sins is pretty much one of my favorite tropes ever, so I jumped at the chance to slate Klaroline into two of those roles. The original request had Klaus as Greed and Caroline as Lust, but I wrote about two sentences before I realized that I had to flip them to get the best possible fic out of this. And of course, smut ensued. **_

_**Right in time for Klaroline AU week, Day 6: mythical creatures.**_

_**Happy sinning ;)**_

* * *

_So this is what it feels like to match wits with someone at your level, what the hell is the catch?_

* * *

Caroline couldn't remember the first time she'd felt the desire for more.

More love, more time, more sex, more adoration, more everything. It had been a part of her nature for as long as she could remember and longer than human history could ever hope to reach. They called her Greed these days, but that was such a trite little word for what she was. Greed elicited images of porsches and diamonds and endless piles of money, money, money.

What a superficial interpretation.

Greed - real greed - came from wanting. Wanting what you couldn't have, what you could have, what you shouldn't ever dare to desire. And once you had it, all you wanted was more.

"Careful, love. They say if you make that face long enough, it will stick that way."

Caroline fought the urge to groan aloud.

"What are you doing here?" she complained, turning to find Klaus slouching casually in the chair beside hers. "Slacking off as usual?"

Klaus bit back a flirtatious grin, "Mixing me up with Kol again? I'm afraid you're getting senile in your old age, Caroline."

"Go away. I'm busy," Caroline attempted to refocus on the task at hand.

"Ah yes," Klaus ignored her earlier directive, sliding his chair closer to hers - too close - and following her gaze to the couple at the bistro across the street. "Melanie and Marcus. Adorable aren't they? First dates always are. All hushed whispers and longing looks. One might even call it... heated."

Oh no. This was the worst part of her job.

Real greed, the kind that gave her the fix she needed and sent that delightfully wicked tingling sensation buzzing all the way through her body and down to her toes... it was always based in emotion. Getting an insipid hedge fund manager to embezzle his client's life savings was all well and good, but getting a husband to run away with the nanny or a young couple to give in to what they desperately wanted? Getting them hooked on the sensation of want, take, have? It sent her spiraling through the roof, high on the rush of power she got from the sordid little affair.

But it also forced her path to cross with Klaus' more often than she would have liked. After all, this was technically _his_ hunting ground more than it was hers. The line between Lust and Greed was all too often blurry.

"Don't be like that," Klaus had the nerve to lean in and whisper in her ear, "We can share them. I'm very generous, when so inclined."

"I'm sure," Caroline rolled her eyes and stood up from her seat. Even if she craved the payout of enticing Melanie and Marcus to give in and do the dirty on a first date, it would not be worth having to share the victory. Caroline didn't share well. "But generosity isn't in my nature."

Klaus' hand shot out to grab hers and an electric sizzle arched through the air. Humans within a 10-block-radius no doubt felt a strange shiver go down their spines or perhaps a warm tingle settle in the pit of their stomaches.

Having two sins in the same place was a powerful thing after all.

Across the street, Melanie and Marcus exchanged their first shy kiss, no doubt interpreting the current of energy rushing through them as some sort of 'love at first sight' nonsense. Their kiss grew deeper, more urgent, and Caroline felt the telltale tingling of power trickle towards her. Klaus' grip on her hand tightened, telling her he felt it too.

It had been like this between them for as long Caroline could remember.

The temptation they provided on their own was a powerful incentive, but together it was damn near undeniable. No human could hope to resist whatever urge she put in their path if Klaus joined her for the ride. Neither propriety nor protocol could stand in their way, and the payout of power she received was always decadent to the point of excess. The fix could leave her buzzing for days.

Before she could help it, Caroline had refocused on the young couple across the street. Their hands wandered, their breaths came out in gasps, and Marcus' hand inched higher and higher up Melanie's skirt. She parted her legs for him, completely oblivious to the people milling around them and the sordid whispers they were attracting.

"There we go, a little more," Klaus crooned softly.

And just like that, Caroline snapped her hand away from his, and the haze they'd created dissipated from the air around them.

The couple they'd been luring into their depraved little trap broke apart, shamefully pulling themselves back together and returning to their formerly polite distance.

"I told you," Caroline practically hissed at Klaus, "I don't share."

"Such a tease," Klaus grinned, but she could see that the smile was a little forced. She'd robbed him of a good score with those two.

She closed her eyes as she walked through the streets, reaching out with her finely-tuned senses, searching for her next unsuspecting victim. A 7-year-old boy down the way wanted his brother's toy truck more than he could possibly say. Not good enough. The law student on the park bench around the corner wanted to throw the curve for everyone else by getting the highest grade in her class. Too much work. The shopkeeper coming up on the right wanted... oh dear. He'd be going to hell just fine on his own, she didn't need to help him out.

"Goodness, and here I thought I was dirty," Klaus' voice caught her by surprise, and she turned to find him following close behind her. "That man brings a new meaning to word depravity."

It took all her self-control to keep her eyes forward. "So why don't you go exploit his perversions?" she suggested. "That's what you're good at."

"Do you really think so low of me?"

"Yes."

Klaus tutted in disappointment, but didn't pay the man a visit like she'd prompted, falling into step beside her instead. "Low hanging fruit, hardly worth my time."

"Everyone is low hanging fruit for you," she smiled, knowing she was right. "Honestly, how do you take any pride in your work when hormones and horniness do most of it for you? I almost feel sorry for you."

"Sorry for me?" he sounded more amused than offended, which irritated her.

She'd gotten a taste of his ire, and now as always, she only wanted more. More wit, more barbs, more aggression, more, more, more. Now that she'd committed to this verbal sparring match, she'd never be satisfied with the playful teasing he seemed content to settle into.

Caroline turned her wicked grin on him, angling for a fight, "It's only natural to feel sympathy for the pathetic. After all, the rest of us have to _work_ to get humans to give in to us, but you? Lust is part of their damn DNA."

"You'd like to believe that, wouldn't you?" Klaus asked still unbothered.

Damn him.

"I believe it because it's true. Audit an anatomy course sometime, you might learn a thing or two."

The look he gave then had her regretting even opening her mouth. He didn't take advantage of the golden opportunity she'd presented, however, which she could only attribute to some sort of divine intervention.

Instead, he stopped their little walk, and it was only then that Caroline noticed they'd wandered very far from the city center. In fact, they'd ventured further than even the tourists were prone to go. She could make out the distant sounds of humans bustling a few blocks over, but they were alone here for the most part. Alone was never good. Not only did it mean no humans to hunt, it also meant she had no means of distracting Klaus to make her escape.

Speaking of which... had he gotten uncomfortably close, or was that just her?

"Lust isn't just carnal, you know," he explained, reaching up to slide the fabric of her coat between his fingers. "It's primal. Every little urge, itch, and appetite you try to smother down beneath conscience and compunction. Lust for blood, for power, for sex. All those little temptations that sneak into your darkest thoughts. The ones that remind us that at our core we are animals. Beasts who will do what we want, when want because it is in our nature to crave satisfaction."

Caroline swallowed sharply but did her best to hide any other outward reaction. "I think I'm the last person who needs a lesson on what it means to be a sin, Klaus. If I didn't understand exactly what you and I are after all these millennia, then I'd be a lost cause."

She backed away from him, desperate for distance. The cold bricks of the brownstone at her back had not factored into that plan.

Klaus just smirked and closed the space between them again, careful to keep his hands behind his back as he leaned in. Now that he had her exactly where he wanted her, he would not touch unless she asked. That was the way of them, after all. They had to be invited.

"How convenient," he grinned. "I happen to specialize in lost causes."

"Now who's getting themselves mixed up with Kol?"

"Do you ever get tired of having the last word?" Klaus cocked his head to the side, the picture of mockery. "Or is that just more of your insatiable urge to win?"

Caroline scoffed. "_My_ insatiable urge? Careful with that glass house you're building, Klaus."

"Why?" Klaus let his tongue peak out to wet his lips, and she felt her damn knees buckle. "Planning to throw stones, Caroline?"

Fucking hell. She hated this part. The part where she realized that he wasn't just sex personified; he was wit and charm and allure and all the things she wanted to indulge in, but knew she never should. It wasn't, strictly speaking, allowed. They were dangerous together in small dose, but something like this? Something so primordial and potent? It was bound to cause chaos, and though they were sins, they had an agenda. Fraternization was... discouraged.

And that was the kicker, wasn't it? Making rules and drawing boundaries around creatures that were literally built to break them? How was that ever supposed to work?

He was close enough now that she could feel his breath on her face, and see the little flecks of grey in the blue of his eyes. Close enough that the air crackled between his lips and hers. Close enough that all she had to do to give in was lean just a fraction of an inch forward, and there would be no more crackling air between them at all.

But as much as that would satisfy her need for more, it would also be a defeat. Her conflicting nature had her stuck.

And so she settled for the middle ground.

Reaching around him, she locked her delicate fingers around his wrist and pulled his hand out from behind his back. Keeping her eyes locked on his, she pulled his hand inside her coat, resting it firmly on her breast. He barely had time to tighten his hold on her before she was moving that hand down, down, down, underneath her dress and up to where she wanted his touch most.

When his fingers finally came in contact with the damp lace that covered her, Klaus surged forward, ready to sweep her into what would no doubt be an earth-shattering kiss, but she turned her head quickly so that he caught her cheek.

"No." Caroline's breathy refusal of that kiss caused his eyes to narrow, so she gave his hand another push underneath her skirt and slid her legs apart further.

This was as close to surrender as he would get from her, and he'd have to be happy with it.

He seemed to sense that, and so he went back to work. He pushed aside her panties and ran a hot finger against her that nearly knocked the breath out of her. How did he always run so hot, even in these frigid temperatures? Must be a Lust thing. Whatever it was, it worked wonders on her as he slid one of those wonderfully warm fingers back and forth against her and then deliciously inside her.

Caroline's eyes slid shut as a gasp fell from her lips. She could still feel his eyes trained on her, drinking in every last bite of her lip and puff of breath she let loose as he pleasured her body. He might have conceded to her refusal to kiss him, but that didn't keep his lips off her neck or his teeth from her ear, the sensations compounded by the heat now radiating off the both of them. The sidewalk scraped under her heels as her hips chased his fingers, and Klaus picked up the pace, pushing her to feel more, more, more.

She didn't realize she was chanting the words until he groaned back a response.

"You want more?" He growled in her ear. Caroline just keened, unwilling - or unable - to vocalize what would amount to begging. Klaus simply gave her neck another nip, "Then hold on to something."

He used his other hand to hitch her leg up, spreading her almost lewdly so his fingers could reach an utterly perfect place. Her hand shot out to grab onto whatever it could find. Something metal and cold bent underneath her impressive strength, but she didn't care because at the same time, Klaus pressed his thumb to her clit. She almost had what she wanted. It was so close, if she could just...

"Klaus..." she whimpered, but she would not beg. Would not, could not, no way, no-

"Oh, but you want to, Caroline," Klaus taunted, and she couldn't figure out if he knew because he could just read her that well, or if her lust literally spoke to him at this point. "You want to beg."

His curled his fingers inside her, inciting another loud cry. His thumb was rubbing slow circles against her now, and if he would just move a little faster - he slowed down even further, and that answered that. She should have known better, thinking she could trick Lust into giving her an orgasm on her terms.

Gritting her teeth together, she finally spat out a simple, "Please."

"There it is," he whispered in her ear, and there it certainly was.

He began touching her with renewed purpose, and every one of her nerve endings seemed to fire all at once. Her hips rocked uncontrollably, and his fingers moved fast. Klaus begun to grunt with each thrust of his hand, and she realized that he was rocking himself against her leg, probably as desperate for the finish as she was. Delightfully wicked thoughts entered her head, but they only served to push her closer to the edge.

Every helpless little whimper seemed to spur Klaus on, until he was nearly as breathless as her. "There's a good girl," he hissed as she writhed against him. "Just like that, Caroline."

His voice in her ear ended up pushing her over, and she threw her head back against the brick as she fell apart with breathless cries for more.

When she was breathing heavy and buzzing with a pleasant, tingling sensation, Caroline realized with a bit of annoyance that this had not gone as planned. As always, she wanted something else. She wanted more.

But in a rare act of self-denial, Caroline pushed Klaus away. He staggered back two steps, looking at her like she were the devil - a devil he very much wanted to ravish - but she ignored his hard stare. She straightened her clothes, fluffed her hair, and turned to walk away.

"Until next time, love," Klaus called out to her.

Next time. Every time they danced this dance he seemed to come out on top.

And maybe that was why Caroline, filled with a desire to finally have that last word she wanted, wanted, wanted, found herself turning back closing the distance between them again. Her fingers wove into his hair, pulling him towards her hard enough to hurt, and her lips pressed to his. For a few, brief seconds, she kissed Klaus with more pent-up passion, aggression, and _greed_ than any woman had ever kissed any man. She took and took and took, and when she pulled away, she didn't even spare him a glance before disappearing. Off to indulge elsewhere.

Klaus stood breathless and shell-shocked - and more than a little hard - on the street, staring at the place his favorite little pastime had once stood.

He licked his lips, eager for one more taste of her.

"You two really should stop this fiasco before it gets worse," a voice called out from the stoop above him, catching Klaus attention.

There stood Kol, lounging decadently against the cement platform, like it was the most comfortable chaise in the world. It probably was, if Kol had decided to abuse his powers for self-gain again.

Despite his scolding tone, Kol looked rather pleased to find Klaus with his pants down, so to speak. "Or at least before Elijah catches you."

"I don't know," Klaus played along. "I think that went rather well."

"Rather well for you, maybe," Kol shook his head, "But humans within a ten mile radius of you two have spent the last few minutes getting up to the worst kinds of depravity imaginable. Do you know I caught sight of woman doing something atrocious to a cat a few blocks back? Humans..."

Kol had the nerve to look disgusted, but Klaus payed him no mind. They'd all done worse.

"And you decided to what?" Klaus asked, "Come and watch the show?"

"I like my unmentionables right where they are actually," Kol dropped off his stoop to stand beside him. "So don't go telling Caroline I saw more than your sweet little snog."

Klaus chuckled as he began to walk back towards the city. Maybe he's heck on Melanie and Marcus again? Unfortunately, the prospect didn't seem quite as exciting as it had when he'd been using the couple as figurative - and also literal - foreplay for Caroline.

Kol fell into step beside him, at his own slow place. "You're playing with fire, Nikalus. This won't end well."

"My intentions are completely honorable, I'll have you know," Klaus said.

"You know what they say about the road to hell, brother." Kol replied.

"It's paved with cliches?"

Kol had the gall to look offended at the joke, "Har, har."

The city lights were dimming, and humans everywhere were headed to sleep. Not a proper hunting ground for either of them, really. Time to try his luck on the other side of the globe, where people were just waking up. Morning sex was another specialty of his after all.

"Until next time, brother," Klaus waved Kol off, disappearing into the wind like Caroline had before him.

Speaking of next time, perhaps he'd search out another greedy little temptation to draw her in? Somewhere tropical this time.

* * *

_He will never be satisfied,_  
_I will never be satisfied_

* * *

You guys know me, I can't just throw together something like this without building out the whole world, so I of course assigned sins (with matching character analyses) to everyone else.

**Sloth: Kol** \- Most people think of sloth as a lazy, couch potato guy who's dirty, messy, and entirely unappealing. But this interpretation of sloth is a kind of reckless disregard for responsibility. Never doing what you're supposed to do when you're supposed to do it, emotional apathy or detachment, and complete indifference to any kind of consequences. Basically, Kol in a nutshell.

**Envy: Rebekah** \- Besides Klaus and Caroline, Rebekah's sin was the first one I nailed down because DUH. Rebekah covets what other people have, whether it's relationships, social standing, or even just a pretty dress. And just like with envy, whenever she gets what she wants, it's never quite what she expected because the whole point of envy is the 'grass is greener' mentality.

**Pride: Elijah** \- As if this one wasn't obvious, I see Elijah as a kind of banished angel character. He doesn't believe he deserves to be labeled a sin and he doesn't revel in it the way the others do. He sees himself as a cut above the rest, and therein lies the greatest sin of all. At least the others accept what they are. Elijah is too prideful to admit that he's a monster in the first place.

**Gluttony: Katherine** \- This one was harder, but ultimately I think the right fit. Gluttony is another sin that I think gets misinterpreted. Put simply, gluttony is excess. It's the need to own things, and hoard them, regardless of whether you need them or even want them. Katherine, bless her little heart, collects people like trinkets. She makes them fall in love with her, swear their allegiance, and follow her to the ends of the earth just because she can. And there's that whole 'must always look fabulous, drink the best wine, stay in the best rooms' thing.

**Wrath: Bonnie** \- You ever tried crossing Bonnie Bennett and lived to tell the tale? Bonnie can hold a grudge like no one else, and she can make you pay for it ten times over, probably more than you deserve. I always thought that Bonnie's inner fire/anger was her greatest strength and also her greatest weakness. I'd also considered Tyler and Enzo for this part, but ultimately I think Bonnie fits best.


End file.
